Sandbanks is an affluent neighbourhood of Poole, Dorset, on the south coast of England, situated on a narrow spit of around 1 km2 or 0.39 sq mi extending into the mouth of Poole Harbour.

Sandbanks
Sandbanks viewed from Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour
Sandbanks is located in Dorset
Sandbanks
Sandbanks
Location within Dorset
Area0.39 sq mi (1.0 km2)
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townPOOLE
Postcode districtBH13
Dialling code01202
PoliceDorset
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°41′10″N 1°56′42″W / 50.686°N 1.945°W / 50.686; -1.945

It is known for its high property prices and for its award-winning beach.[1] In 2005, Sandbanks was reported to have the fourth highest land value by area in the world.[2][needs update] The Sandbanks and Canford Cliffs Coastline area has been dubbed "Britain's Palm Beach".[3]

Sandbanks Ferry, looking towards Sandbanks
Sandbanks Peninsula, seen from the Sandbanks Ferry looking towards the Haven Hotel

Geography

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Sandbanks beach

Sandbanks is connected to Studland by the Sandbanks Ferry, a chain ferry across the mouth of the harbour. The Sandbanks area of Poole Harbour (known as North Haven Lake) is used for water sports and by light marina craft. The north side is home to the Southern Headquarters of the Royal Yachting Association and a sailing school.[4]

Views to the north are across Poole Harbour and to Poole. To the south views extend across the English Channel and to the coastline of Studland and Swanage in the west.

Property

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Sandbanks is a predominantly residential area, with homes stretching east from the Harbour to The Avenue, the eastern boundary of Poole. Homes often sell for millions of pounds.

Facilities

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The Haven Hotel in Sandbanks, constructed in 1887, was where Guglielmo Marconi performed wireless experiments in the late 1890s while living there. Sandbanks was the third place in the world to have a permanent wireless station (1899).

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed a lifeboat at Sandbanks in 1865. The crew had to travel from Poole in a horse-drawn carriage whenever it was launched so a new Poole Lifeboat Station was opened at Fisherman's Dock on Poole Quay in 1882.[5]

Politics

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Sandbanks is part of the Canford Cliffs ward which elects two councillors to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, and also the Poole parliamentary constituency.

Notable present or former residents

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Large houses at Sandbanks, seen from the Poole to Brownsea Island ferry

Transport

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Sandbanks is accessible by car on two B-roads: B3369 from Parkstone and B3065 from Westbourne, or via Sandbanks Ferry from Studland. Sandbanks, along with Bournemouth and Poole, has easy access to the M27 motorway at Southampton via the A338 and A31 roads.

The nearest railway station is at Parkstone, about 4 km away but there are no public transport routes connecting there. Instead, the Purbeck Breezer bus route runs daily from Bournemouth railway station, the major station in the conurbation; seasonal routes (some departures only) run from Poole bus station, near to Poole railway station.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2024 Blue Flag and Seaside Award Winners | Keep Britain Tidy". www.keepbritaintidy.org. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Island on the market for £2.5 million", BBC News 13 April 2005
  3. ^ Morris, Steven. "£3m for modest bungalow needing TLC", The Guardian 2 November 2005.
  4. ^ "Home". Rya.org.uk.
  5. ^ "History". Poole Lifeboat Station. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  6. ^ "Geoffrey Boycott to sue lawyers over home". The Times. 13 October 2011. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Geoffrey Boycott loses Sandbanks home court battle". Bournemouth Echo. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  8. ^ Fox-Leonard, Boudicca (20 January 2024). "How Sandbanks became England's most unlikely millionaire playground". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Where does Karl Pilkington live?". Answer to all. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Tony Pulis' wife fighting "beyond laughable" flats plans next to £6m Poole home". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Tony Pulis buys in Sandbanks". This is Staffordshire.
  12. ^ "Harry Redknapp's former Sandbanks home sells for record £10m". Bournemouth Echo. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  13. ^ "PICTURES: Inside Harry Redknapp's new mansion". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  14. ^ Silverman, Laura (28 September 2014). "My space: Celia Sawyer". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Star to portray our Mimi, from Sandbanks, on big screen". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  16. ^ "John Lennon's iron gift to his beloved aunt is set to go under the hammer". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
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