Famous for its beautiful, sandy beaches, Newquay has long been a popular place to live or buy a holiday home. Situated on Cornwall’s north coast, the strong Atlantic waves have made it a legendary surfing location as well as a family-friendly resort.
As with many seaside areas, property prices in Newquay rocketed during Covid 19. Despite the current economic crisis, estate agents report that the holiday home market remains strong as Newquay remains among the top UK holiday destinations. Buyers are also seeing huge potential in investment properties there.
We take a look at Newquay, investigating its:
- History
- Tourism
- Development plan
- Newquay house prices
We also ask estate agents for their comments and look at some properties for sale in Newquay.
History
Newquay was originally a fishing port before the Elizabethans built the New Key in the 15th century and development began. Coal was imported here, and mined ore was exported while the tin and copper mining industry thrived.
For many years of the 18th century, the main industry was pilchard fishing, with tonnes of salted fish being exported to the Mediterranean. As the fishing industry declined, the railway arrived, and the town began to grow as a tourist hub.
Tourism
Its coastal position has made Newquay town a tourist spot for over a century, with visitors drawn by the beaches and scenery. While 25,000 people are resident there, in summer numbers grow to 100,000. Known as the surf capital of England, a surfing industry has developed around surf schools, hire shops, and clothing stores.
International surfing competitions are held on Fistral Beach and at Watergate Bay each year. There are also a host of family-friendly attractions in and around Newquay, and the Southwest Coast Path runs through the town.
Newquay property development
The Duchy of Cornwall is involved in two significant developments at Newquay, both with sustainable design at their heart. The main scheme near the town of Nansleden, involves 540 acres of land and includes housing, business, educational, and health provision.
Development began in 2014 and will take 30 years to complete – eventually, the site will comprise 4,000 homes of which around 30% will be available as affordable homes. The scheme uses locally sourced materials where possible and involves shops and offices, green spaces, and a high street.
The second development, Tregunnel Hill, is a completed scheme on the edge of Newquay town centre. This is a 10-acre development of 174 traditionally designed houses and workspaces and around 90% of the purchasers are local.
Demand for homes in this part of Cornwall is demonstrated by waiting lists for the nearby West Carclaze garden village development, a 500-acre site where eco-friendly, sustainable homes are being built in phases.
Newquay Neighbourhood Development Plan
While the southern edge of the town has expanded greatly since 2001, this plan stresses the importance of retaining a green buffer between Newquay and nearby Quintrell Downs.
Aimed at retaining Newquay’s special characteristics, the plan forms part of the Cornwall Development Plan which must be consulted by planners when making decisions. It states that all new development should be designed to reinforce a strong identity of sense of place and local character.
Development should be inclusive, accessible to all, and sustainable – green infrastructure, cycleways, and walking routes are encouraged. For residential developments of over 10 dwellings, applicants must show how these principles have been achieved.
Development considered to have a detrimental impact on local views won’t be supported and applications for flats over two storeys high must include a Landscape and Visual Impact statement. However, development will be supported where there’s no negative impact on the landscape and only if it provides exceptional public benefits.
Schemes for development outside the Newquay Town boundary will only be allowed if they meet the need for affordable homes. Development must be high quality, meet sustainability criteria and lighting schemes must respect the area’s dark skies.
Plans to replace existing houses will be supported if the replacement design is good, enhances the area, and does not spoil views. Extensions to houses must not harm the character of the town or negatively impact neighbouring houses. Developments in residential gardens will be supported if they meet the criteria.
Newquay house prices
The average house price in Newquay was £342,982 over the last year. According to Rightmove, sold prices were up 4% on the previous year and 37% up on the 2019 peak of £250,198. Flats accounted for most sales over the last year, selling for an average of £244,549. Detached houses sold for an average of £479,154 while terraced properties averaged £325,373.
This chart illustrates the increase in sold house prices in Newquay over recent years.
| House type | Sold price | Month and year of sale |
| 2 bedroom terrace house | £260,000 £62,000 | June 2022 April 2001 |
| 3 bedroom semi-detached house | £550,000 £250,000 | June 2022 Sept 2014 |
| 4 bedroom detached house | £415,000 £250,000 | June 2022 July 2006 |
| Flat | £189,000 £136,000 | July 2022 Feb 2017 |
Comments from Newquay estate agents
Low stock levels
Jamie Shepherd, listing negotiator with Stratton Creber Estate Agents, said:
Houses are starting to stay on the market for a bit longer and we are seeing some reductions for the first time in around 18 months. However, there is still not a lot of stock coming to market compared to the number of buyers, so prices are staying high due to this demand. The working from home trend did influence prices at the early stages of the pandemic, but we’re not seeing that so much now.
We are in a property bubble here, along with other seaside towns in Cornwall, with a strong demand for holiday homes. Newquay’s main appeal is the seaside, the beaches, and the way of life. Newquay property is a mix of mature houses, the centre has a lot of character and pre-war houses and there are a lot of new developments going on as well – constantly new homes are being built here.
Newquay sales remain strong
Company director Daniel Peel from Newquay Property Centre, commented that his office conducted 4,000 viewings between April 2021 and 2022 and added:
We are seeing an incredibly busy market still. Affordability is becoming a bit of an issue with rising interest rates for people who have recently had a mortgage agreed, as now their plans have to change, but it pushes prices down to some extent.
The market is good; people want to live in Cornwall from out of the area, there is demand from people now working from home, and first-time buyers. There is still interest in the second home market – during the Stamp Duty holiday things were off the scale here, but it’s calmed down now.
We have a broad demographic of buyers here, from out of the county, holiday home buyers, and locals buying Airbnb’s – but this has nearly reached saturation, I feel. We have lost landlords who have made their property into an Airbnb, but some are starting to come back to us as they find it’s not a year-round business, and the traditional letting market is returning.
Newquay is on the map again; the nightclub culture has changed, and we are back to the family bucket and spade-style holidays.
Properties for sale in Newquay
Here’s a selection of properties for sale, from a four-bedroom coastal home to a detached house, a beachside site, and a terraced house with huge potential for an investor. Perhaps one is matching your search criteria!
Arundel Way
This modernised, individual detached bungalow is for sale with Stratton Creber, with a guide price of £300,000. It is a short stroll from Porth and the famous Lusty Glaze beach in a popular residential area, half a mile from the town centre. It has two double bedrooms, a kitchen-dining room, lounge, and front and side gardens, along with gas central heating and uPVC double glazing.
Stret Ewyn
Among the new homes on the sought-after Duchy development of Nansleden, is this beautifully presented two-bedroom, detached house. It has one bathroom, a living-dining room, a kitchen, a garden, a garage, and parking. It covers 807 sq. ft and has a guide price of £350,000. It’s for sale with Bradley’s estate agents.
St Mary’s Road
This is a rare and unique opportunity to buy an individual, detached two-bedroom coastal home, with sea views and generous living space. Towan beach is just a short stroll away from this property which was built in 2018 and has a 10-year build warranty, along with uPVC double glazing and gas central heating. It has one bathroom, a lounge, a fully fitted kitchen, a dining room, and a utility room. The guide price is £475,000 with estate agents Stratton Creber.
St George’s Road
A fantastic opportunity to buy a lucrative ongoing concern is offered with the sale of this five-bedroom terraced holiday home. It’s currently operated as a holiday let, with a gross income of £67,000 in 2021. It has coastal views, is centrally located, and is immaculately presented, with lots of living space. There’s an open plan lounge/kitchen/diner with bifold doors to the rear decked area, along with four bathrooms. The selling agents are Start & Co, and this house has a guide price of £650,000.
Pentire Avenue
If your search criteria is a luxury coastal detached house with great sea views, this property could be for you. In the desirable Pentire area, this is a rare opportunity to buy a home overlooking Fistral Beach and Newquay, and just a short stroll from the beach. It has four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, a fully fitted modern kitchen, two balconies, and a private garden. The guide price is £1,250,000 with Lillicrap Chilcott, Truro.
Newquay property overview
If you have recent experience of buying a holiday home or selling a house in Newquay, we would love to hear your views.
Do you think the town is likely to remain a favourite holiday destination?
Is buying a holiday home in Newquay a good strategy?
Please leave a comment in the box below.
