A coastal life can be pleasant and peaceful one, and this is relatively affordable in some towns and villages in the UK - the further aawy you get from London and the south. One of these places is Ashington in Northumberland, which, at its peak was known as the largest coal mining village in the world. But those days are gone, and many locals now work in health and social care, as well as in light industry and for various businesses on the Wansbeck Business Park and North Seaton Industrial Estate. Properties in the area are relatively attainble, according to property experts.

Zoopla says: "Ashington blends past and present in a charming way offering its residents a comfortable and fulfilling life. Living in Ashington provides a unique harmony between urban amenities and serene natural surroundings. The town is known for its low crime rates, ensuring peace of mind for its residents. Ashington offers excellent connectivity with a broadband speed that matches the UK average; a feature particularly useful in today's digitised world."

It adds: "There's a good selection of schools in the area, indicating a thoughtful focus on education. Ashington's convenient proximity to the Newcastle airport at only 11.9 miles away adds to the location's practicality."

The average asking price for a tarraced house, Zoopla says, is £80,000. For detached, it's a lot more - £310,500. The same figure is £185,000 for a semi-detached property. Prospective owners of flats, meanwhile, can expect to buy for around £55,000.

Rightmove, however, says house prices in Ashington have an overall average of £141,636 over the last year.

The majority of those sold were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £95,682.

For semi-detached properties, the average selling price was £144,409, with detached properties fetching £252,371.

Overall, experts add, the historical sold prices in Ashington over the last year were 8% down on the previous year and similar to the 2022 peak of £142,055.

Northumberland Town Centre has talked about regenerating Ashington's town centre.

In January, it marked "another key milestone" with the submission of a full planning application for the proposed development of the Portland Park Cinema.

Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council and Cabinet Member for Supporting Business and Opportunities, Councillor Richard Wearmouth said: “There is significant ongoing investment into Ashington, and we all want to see progress at Portland Park.

“The leisure plans would add to existing schemes like the new Northumberland College Campus in the town centre and the new rail station and development of Wansbeck Square.”