Cottage, perched perilously close to the edge of a cliff, is being put on the market for £295,000

The agent behind the sale of the former coastguard cottage said its current owner had not been affected by coastal erosion in 32 years and had left the country due to his “advancing years”.

A cottage with spectacular views over the North Sea has been put up for sale after being reduced by £200,000 – for being perched near the edge of a cliff.

Built in the 1820’s, the four bedroom semi-detached house sits about 40 feet from the cliff at the end of its garden in Dunwich, near Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Erosion has endangered other homes on the coast, with some thrown into the sea. Due to the potential for disaster, the former coastguard house, which is in need of a major refurbishment, has been priced at £295,000.

Stuart Clarke, a partner at brokerage Clarke & Simpson, who are selling the property, said the cottage is in a “fantastic location” and could cost around £200,000 more were it not for the risk of erosion.

But he said the current owner has stated that the 45-foot cliff at the end of his garden hasn’t been affected by erosion at all in the 32 years he’s lived there.

Mr Clarke added: “The cliff in this area of ​​Dunwich is supported by vegetation which means it is less likely to erode. There has been no significant loss of coastline in this area for a long time, although no one knows what will happen in the area in the long term.”

The village of Dunwich dates back to Anglo-Saxon times when it was the capital of the Kingdom of the East Angles. Much of the village, including its eight churches, has been swallowed up by the sea since the 13th century.

Mr Clarke said the elderly occupant of the cottage had moved out because he was ‘old age’. He added: “He’s been there since 1990 and he loves it there, but he’s much older now and needs to move. It has nothing to do with ownership.

“There is a lot of interest in the house, both from people who want it as a second home and from others who want to live permanently on the coast. It would also make a wonderful holiday rental due to its seafront location.”