AN EMPTY piece of land in Sandbanks is worth £2m more now than when the owner bought it with two semi-detached houses.

The narrow plot has gone on the market for £6.25million.

It measures 27m by 18m and will equate to £1,161 per square feet if it sells for the asking price.

Sandbanks is said to be the fourth most expensive place in the world to buy real estate and the vacant plot is one of the last to be redeveloped.

A property two doors down holds the record for the most expensive house on the peninsula per square foot. The detached house sold last year for £3.45m, which worked out as £1,725 per square foot.

The anonymous owner of the land for sale bought the two 1960s houses with the intention of demolishing them and building his dream home.

But while it was going through the planning process, he fell in love with the property he was renting out and decided to remain there.

He knocked down the two semis on the first plot and secured permission for two, four-bed houses each with their own gym and swimming pool.

The twin properties would be 4,370 sq ft and 4,023 sq ft respectively, set over four floors with a terrace running all the way round to enjoy the views.

The plot is on the narrowest part of the Sandbanks strip and offers spectacular views of the harbour on one side and the sea on the other. It also has direct beach access.

Adrian Dunford, of Tailor Made estate agents, which is selling the empty plot, said: “This is one of the few plots left along that section. Most of the houses have now been replaced with new properties.

“A lot of those have been turned into apartments so they’re unlikely to change again.”

He added: “On the peninsula the houses are much larger, 13-14,000 sq ft. They will change hands for £8m, but this bit is the narrowest part of Sandbanks so the houses there can only be about 4-5,000 sq ft.

“Generally they are second homes on that stretch but we are seeing a change in fashion. Historically everybody wanted large homes but we are seeing more people very happy to live in something smaller and easier to manage.

“A lot of people are using them as their main home in the UK but then also have another home in France, Barbados or Monte Carlo.”