A timber beach hut has gone on the market for £225,000 – thanks to its spectacular location.
The aptly-named Sea Spray is a stone’s throw from Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and has stunning sea views of the Jurassic Coast.
The luxury wooden holiday home is 17ft long and almost 15ft wide, with most of the accommodation in one multi-purpose room, apart from a separate shower room.
Owners Karen and Steve Williams bought the chalet for just under £150,000 in 2020, after Steve’s Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis meant they could no longer go on overseas holidays.
They decided to completely redesign the holiday home to meet Steve’s needs.
They spent three months and £53,000 demolishing the old building and having a new chalet built off-site then transported to the beach.
It has been equipped to a high standard, including air conditioning from an air source heat pump to heat or cool the chalet.
It has a kitchen area with electric hob, oven, microwave and fridge with ice box, a dining space with a table and chairs, a living room zone with a small two-seater sofa, armchair and double bunk beds at the back of the room.
Owners Karen and Steve Williams have put their timber beach hut on the market for £225,000
The aptly-named Sea Spray is a stone’s throw from Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and has stunning sea views of the Jurassic Coast
The bathroom has a shower, sink and toilet.
The timber property has mains water, drainage and electricity, but it also has eight solar panels on the roof which mean the owners have no electricity bill and can sell the excess energy back to the national grid.
But owners can only stay overnight in it for ten months of the year – as the local council shut off the water supply in January and February.
And the new owners will have to pay about £3,500 fees to the council each year for the site and a transfer fee of 10 per cent of the sale price to put the lease in their name.
However they will be able to make tens of thousands a year renting it out, as the beachside cabins are very popular with tourists.
Outside the hut has a front garden and raised patio terrace with deck chairs to enjoy the sea views and two sheds behind the cabin for storage and an off-road parking space.
It is in a prime seaside location just west of Lyme Regis’ historic Cobb harbour wall, which features in Jane Austen’s Persuasion and in the 1980s film The French Lieutenant’s Woman starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons.
The beach is named after the Duke of Monmouth, who landed here in 1685 in a failed attempt to overthrow his uncle, King James II.
The couple bought the chalet for just under £150,000 in 2020, after Steve’s Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis meant they could no longer go on overseas holidays
It has a kitchen area with electric hob, oven, microwave and fridge with ice box, a dining space with a table and chairs,
The luxury wooden holiday home is 17ft long and almost 15ft wide, with most of the accommodation in one multi-purpose room, apart from a separate shower room
‘We redesigned it to meet his needs and make a space where he could be comfortable – once you’re in it’s accessible,’ Mrs Williams said
The bathroom has a shower, sink and toilet and had been designed to accommodate for Mr Williams’s needs
The pebble beach is also great for fossil hunters.
Karen said: ‘I’ve been going to Lyme for about 30 years and I always had my eye on those chalets, but it was a bit of a pipe dream.
‘Then my husband was diagnosed with MND (motor neurone disease) and we knew we wouldn’t be able to go on overseas holidays but this provided an opportunity to go away and became a bit of a project for both of us.
‘We redesigned it to meet his needs and make a space where he could be comfortable – once you’re in it’s accessible.
‘It was great for a few years, we’ve made some very happy memories there.
‘But his disease has progressed now and he’s in a wheelchair so we aren’t able to use it anymore, which is why we are selling.
‘I love the environment and creativity you get in Lyme. It has a simplicity to it, it’s not commercial.
The couple spent three months and £53,000 demolishing the old building and having a new chalet built off-site then transported to the beach
But owners can only stay overnight in it for ten months of the year – as the local council shut off the water supply in January and February
‘We live in London so it’s really freeing being there and swimming in the sea.
‘It’s literally steps to the beach, which has been amazing. It feels like our beach when we’re there.
‘We’ve been letting it for a few years now and it’s always in demand. We have people that regularly return – one couple come for Christmas and I love that we can help other people create magical memories.’
Steve added: ‘Weirdly, there are hardly any seagulls in this area. Probably because all the fishing boats unload their catch in town, so it is extremely peaceful.
‘The cabin benefits from a microclimate which means temperatures feel warmer than inland, and the front patio only ever seems to receive gentle winds.’
Wes Holmes, from Fortnam Smith & Banwell, who are selling the beach hut, said: ‘Sea Spray, a charming one-bedroom chalet set just one row behind the beach huts on Monmouth Beach, offers a peaceful and intimate coastal retreat with beautiful sea views.
‘Its slightly elevated, sheltered position provides the perfect balance between being close to the shoreline and enjoying a little extra privacy.
‘From the deck, you can watch the waves roll into Lyme Bay, breathe in the sea air, and enjoy the ever-changing colours of the Jurassic Coast.
‘With the beach only moments away, it’s ideal for morning strolls, fossil hunting, or simply unwinding by the water.
‘Thoughtfully designed for comfort, Sea Spray is a cosy haven for individuals or couples seeking a tranquil escape in one of Lyme Regis’ most picturesque locations.’
