Harbouring a desire

London weekenders and long distance commuters are forsaking country for coast, with the lure of designer apartments on the waterfront. Redevelopment of old dockyards and quaysides has resulted in a wave of new homes in accessible seaside towns and cities.

You don't have to be a yachtie to enjoy the lifestyle. Many buyers do not own boats, but relish the convivial marina environment of shops, bars and restaurants.

There is always a premium to pay for a waterside home - as much as 35 per cent, say estate agents. Price rises in places such as Poole, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Southampton have outstripped London over the past year.

Poole Harbour in Dorset is one of Britain's most expensive coastal locations, and Sandbanks Peninsula - an exclusive residential enclave where homes are as pricey as Eaton Square - is known as the Golden Riviera.

Dolphin Quays is part of a large-scale refurbishment of the harbour area and comprises a series of linked apartment blocks. The final phase of 23 homes has just been released. They are high-spec with central Londonstyle finishes: cherry-wood floors, limestone, stainless steel, Hansgrohe fittings and Miele appliances.

One-bedroom apartments start at £210,000. Two-bedroom apartments with sea views cost from £615,000. A four-bedroom penthouse costs £1.5 million. A new yacht haven with 100 berths is being built in front of the development. Call 01202 666625.

About 200m from Poole Harbour is a pair of bespoke new houses, each sitting in a half-acre plot. Antler Homes is asking £1.2 million for each. Call 01202 709888. Portsmouth Harbour is undergoing massive regeneration. Berkeley Homes is building 380 homes at Royal Clarence Yard. The 33-acre site used to be a supply base for the Royal Navy and includes many listed buildings. It is set to become a self-contained waterfront community of 380 homes with a 130-berth marina. The development will take up to five years to complete.

One-bedroom apartments cost from £100,000, two-bedrooms from £140,000 and three-bedroom houses from £200,000. Some of the apartments in the refurbished period buildings are loft-style.

Gunwharf Quays, also by Berkeley Homes, is another big mixed-use scheme, on the western side of the harbour. Currently for sale are apartments at The Canalside, a seven-storey building of contemporary design. Prices start at £150,000 for a onebedroom apartment. Three-bedroom penthouses cost from £400,000. Call 02392 851800. The Solent is the UK's premier yacht- spot ( 35,000 marina berths), and the glamour is rubbing off in Southampton, where smart apartment living is emerging. The train to Waterloo takes one hour 15 minutes.

West Central is a scheme of 27 apartments, with trendy urban features such as sliding walls and underfloor heating. The scheme forms the residential element of West Quay Shopping and Leisure Centre, the largest inner-city retail mall in Europe. Developer Linden Homes says prices will range from £165,000 to £405,000. Call 02380 665100.