Strip of beach sells for £63,000

Potential bidders from across the world have shown an interest

A strip of Gwynedd beach with planning permission for a beach hut has been sold by auction for £63,000 on Thursday.

Would-be buyers from as far away as Australia had enquired about the strip of beach at Abersoch, which has stunning views.

Father-of-two Richard Gerrard, 50, from Cheshire, was the winning bidder.

Mr Gerrard and his partner Carrie Morris already have a house, a car, a tractor and a boat in Abersoch.

Mr Gerrard said he was "incredibly pleased" to have won the auction.

"It is what we have always wanted - I have been coming to Abersoch since I was four - I absolutely love the place," he said.

Carrie Morris and Richard Gerrard already own a house in Abersoch

"I have always wanted a house here, and ideally a beach hut down here but they very rarely come up. When this plot of sand came up, we couldn't wait."

He said he was looking forward to sitting in a newly-built beach hut with a cold bottle of wine, enjoying the view and relaxing.

Due to the size of the site, the maximum dimensions for any hut would only be 12ft by 10ft, and strict rules dictate there can be no electricity, water or gas.

A retaining wall will also have to be built to protect it from sand slipping from dunes.

The area with views of Cardigan Bay and St Tudwal's island is popular with pensioners and second home owners.

Martin Lewthwaite, from estate agents Beresford Adams in Abersoch, who were handling the sale, said before the auction it had attracted "an enormous amount of interest".

Abersoch is very sought after Martin Lewthwaite

"It's literally a garden shed with four walls," he said.

"All you're allowed are changing cubicles, no gas or electric or water. The local authority really has strong rules on that"

Inflation

Last summer, a similar plot on the same stretch of the Lleyn Peninsula sold for £56,500 last summer. Further inland at Penllyn, a two-bedroom terraced cottage can be bought for £100,000. It was recently thought that footballer David Beckham, who was then playing for Manchester United, had been interested in buying a holiday home in the area.

In November 2002, a 12ft by 12ft wooden hut on a slipway at nearby Bwlchtocyn sold for £20,000.

Six months later, in May 2003, a corrugated iron hut measuring only 8ft by 8ft sold for £28,000. Within a month, a buyer from England snapped up a freehold hut for £39,500

"Abersoch is very sought after," said Mr Lewthwaite."You have a lovely beach with the mountains as a stunning backdrop".