Formed by 100-foot-high sand piles, Sandbanks was originally known as Parkstone-on-Sea. The area was blocked off from local towns by a mountain of sand.

Before 1870 the only building in Sandbanks was the Poole Lifeboat Station, until a new hotel was built. It was named the Haven Hotel, and was intended to be a ‘get away’ for the wealthy. However, there was no road into Sandbanks, so all visitors had to travel across the sand by horse and cart.

Lord Wimborne, who owned Sandbanks in the late 1800’s, realised that coastal protections needed to be constructed in order the shield the beach from harsh weather conditions. However, he did not want to pay for the cost, so he offered the land to the Poole Harbour Commission for a small fee if they paid for the coastal protection.

In 1896, the Poole Harbour Commission sold plots of land in Sandbanks, to the public. 57 plots were sold in total, and most were the foundations for wooden bungalows and holiday homes. However, when a road was built, connecting Sandbanks to other towns, it increased the popularity of the area. More land was sold and more houses were built, this time in brick and stone, making them suitable for permanent housing.

By the 1980’s flats were being sold for £100,000. However, by the 1990’s the average price for a 2-bed apartment was £689 per square foot. Today there are 1,100 homes on Sandbanks, and it has been transformed into millionaire’s row.