Britons are prepared to pay thousands of pounds extra to have a house by the sea, research showed today.

The average home in a seaside town costs three per cent more than the average property in a coastal county, the equivalent of £5,298, according to Halifax Estate Agents.

The group said house prices in seaside towns averaged £187,128, compared with an average price of £181,830 across counties that border the sea.

Bexhill featured third on the list of the seaside towns with the best quality of life with Shoreham fourth. Worthing, Brighton and Littlehampton were also highlighted.

According to Halifax, the average house price in Bexhill is £193,405 while in Shoreham it is £221,538.

They pail into comparison with Dorset's Sandbanks area, home to the likes of Premiership footballers and which has average house prices of £488,761. It remains one of the most expensive places to live anywhere in the country.

Both also scored well on the "quality of life index" which tracks overall living standards. Bexhill was ranked 132nd out of all British towns and Shoreham was 139th.

Former chairman of Adur District Council, Coun Liza Mckinney, can entirely understand why Shoreham has finished near the top of the survey.

She said: "I live in Shoreham, right on the beach, and I can open my front door and step out onto it, it's lovely.

"You have everything here, the airport, the sea, good schools, good restaurants and bars and good homes.

"But it still retains that village feel. It has a fantastic community atmosphere.

"We have all the facilities of a successful town or city but with the atmosphere of a village."

Indeed Shoreham Airport is on the up with new flights being launched to fashionable destinations around Europe, including Paris.

Modern new homes have been built at the Ropetackle site and more are planned on the site of the old Parcelforce building further east.

There are even plans for up to 6,000 homes from Shoreham along the coast towards Hove.

As a result numerous eateries and pubs have been revived by the influx of new residents.

A vibrant arts and crafts community also exists in Shoreham, adding to its diversity.

Meanwhile Brian Gadd, an East Sussex county councillor representing Bexhill has lived in the town for 12 years.

He said: "It gets the thumbs up from me.

"Bexhill is a peaceful place to live. It does have its areas which aren't so peaceful, like anywhere does.

"We have good schools, some very good restaurants and a good environment.

"When you travel north you have some beautiful countryside, we have Hastings nearby and Eastbourne, both of which are very handy.

"Bexhill is a very nice place to live."

Bexhill too is known for its vibrant arts community. The De La Warr pavilion on the seafront remains a beacon for contemporary artists across the country.

A large number of artists live in the town.

However leading experts have warned that even Shoreham and Bexhill may struggle to make it into future "good life" lists.

House prices in both towns are among the last places where estate agents believe "bargains" can still be found.

Colin Kemp, managing director of Halifax Estate Agents, said: "Seaside towns tend to have house prices that are at a premium to their surrounding areas and have generally seen strong house price growth over the past few years. "There are still some bargains to be had for home buyers. Bridlington, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth are the three seaside towns in Britain that offer the best value for money.

"Several seaside towns in the South East also offer a combination of relatively low property prices and a high quality of life."

Christchurch in Dorset was rated as the seaside town with the highest quality of life while Bridlington in East Yorkshire offered the best value for money.

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