Bournemouth council in new bid to sell £90k beach huts

The beach pods are designed with "nostalgic 50s imagery"

A third estate agent has been brought in by a Dorset council to sell designer beach huts, on the market for up to £89,995, after slow sales.

The retro-style "surf pods" in Boscombe's revamped Overstrand building went on sale in May 2009 from £64,995.

But only 12 of the 43 huts, designed by Wayne Hemingway, have been sold.

Bournecoast Property Agents are now the third agents to take over the project. Bournemouth council said it had always expected a long period of selling.

The new agents are also offering the pods up for rent at £250 a week.

French doors

Agent Savills unveiled the huts last year but the deal was ended after six months. Goadsby then took over, but the firm's deal also ended.

Bournemouth council blamed the slower rate of sales on the economic climate.

Chris Saunders, business development manager, said: "The pods are still generating interest and reservations are still being taken, albeit at a slower rate due to the current state of the economy.

"From the beginning we have anticipated that there would be a long period of selling and that is why we have recruited an agency with specialist expertise to continue to raise the profile of the pods to the local market."

The pods have mains electricity, hot and cold running water, kitchen units and French doors leading on to a small private balcony overlooking the beach.

The huts form part of a multimillion-pound redevelopment of the once rundown seafront which has also included Europe's first artificial surf reef, which opened late and over budget to mixed reviews.