The most expensive beach hut in Britain: Mudeford hut with fitted kitchen and separate bedroom is snapped up for £170,000 after just two days (From Dorset Beaches)

The most expensive beach hut in Britain: Mudeford hut with fitted kitchen and separate bedroom is snapped up for £170,000 after just two days

4:06pm Monday 18th June 2012 in Beach News

The most expensive beach hut in Britain has sold for a staggering £170,000 in just two days of going on the market.

The wooden structure on an isolated spit has no running hot water or washing facilities and requires a 30 minute walk, a ride on a land-train or a short ferry trip to get there.

Yet estate agents were overcome with interest in the 18ft x 10ft timber retreat and a bidding frenzy meant the hut was able to command the record price.

The immaculately-decorated hut on Mudeford Spit near Christchurch boasts stunning dual views of the harbour on one side and The Solent on the other.

The surge in beach hut sales is at odds with the national housing market that is struggling in the financial climate.

The Mudeford sandbank is recognised has having the most expensive huts in the country, although the previous highest price paid for one was £126,000 three months ago.

The £170,000 sum could buy an "exceptional detached villa" with three bedrooms near Glasgow.

It could also buy a Grade II listed cottage in the historic market town of Wymondham in Norfolk or a luxury three bed detached house in Hull.

Hut 97 at Mudeford has solar panels on the roof to provide electricity for lighting and a 12V pump system that supplies water from a tap.

It has a fitted kitchen with gas oven and fridge which can be powered by a battery or gas.

There is a separate bedroom on the ground floor two single beds in the cramped confines of the roof eaves plus a sofa bed in the living space.

Although six people can sleep there, a local bylaw only allows overnight stays from March through to October.

On top of the asking price, the new owners will have to pay a ground rent to the local council of £2,500 a year.

It has been bought by a wealthy family with grown-up children from Christchurch.

Andrew Denison, from Denisons Estate Agents in Christchurch, said: "The hut is positioned side-on with views of the harbour and the sea and the Isle of Wight, making it quite rare.

"The dual aspect views and the fact it is such a good size meant that as soon as we put it on the website people found it appealing.

"There was a frenzy of people interested and appointments were booked very quickly.

"The most expensive hut we have sold before went for £126,000 last month and we usually put them on the market for about £140,000.

"But, this hut is plush and a fantastic size so I think that is why it went so fast and for so much, I don't know of any that have sold for this sort of figure.

"It must be one of the most expensive beach huts in Britain, I haven't seen any go for more money than this."

There are about 350 beach huts at Mudeford that make up the 23,000 huts in Britain.