One of the first new apartment and townhouse developments to come on the market in the centre of Stillorgan for some time is launching this weekend, with a range of show apartments on view. A total of 58 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and 10 houses will be on offer in the first phase of Dunstaffnage, a development built in the grounds of a large period house at Glenalbyn Road. Prices at Dunstaffnage Hall start at £178,000 for a 525 sq ft one-bedroom unit; two-bedroom units ranging in size from 711 sq ft to 1,022 sq ft cost from £260,000 to £325,000 while 1,036 sq ft three-bedroom apartments cost from £350,000 to £365,000.
The development, built by Capel, which is responsible for Riverpark at Islandbridge and the Linden scheme in Blackrock, is conveniently located on a wooded site off Brewery Road, five minutes walk from the centre of Stillorgan village. Selling agent Hamilton Osborne King expects the majority of sales to come from local residents trading down within the area.
The scheme, on a four-acre site which was formerly the garden of Dunstaffnage House, can be seen through the trees from the Stillorgan dual-carriageway. Stands of mature deciduous and evergreen trees form a natural boundary to the rear and side, with a high stone wall and electronically-controlled gates at the main entrance off Glenalbyn Road. The three-storey apartment block is designed in a gentle curve and backs on to a row of tall maple, alder, cedar and poplar trees. The exterior is of multi-hued brick with blue-painted steel balcony railings and glassed-in sunrooms. Units on the second floor have good-sized balconies, first-floor apartments have glassed-in sunrooms and ground floor apartments have individual cobblelock patios.
Interior sizes and layouts vary according to position on the block. Second-floor and penthouse apartments run from front to back and enjoy both east and west orientation. The majority of apartments for sale are two-bedroom units facing either east or west and cost between £260,000 and £325,000.
A typical unit on the first floor has a deep sittingroom with a glass "winter garden" effect at the dining end and a maple kitchen off. Italian stone floor and wall tiles and built-in electrical appliances in the kitchens are standard. Underfloor and ceiling heating leaves wall space free for easy furniture arrangement.
The two bedrooms, although not huge, will both accommodate a double bed in the larger units and have fitted wardrobes. The main bedroom has a good-sized en suite shower room with natural marble floor and wall tiling. The main bathroom is also fully tiled.
Two and three-bedroom apartments on the second floor are all dual-aspect and have balconies off the main bedroom and the sittingroom. The sittingrooms are particularly spacious, with natural stone fireplaces to take a coal-effect fire and fully-tiled maple kitchens off. The three-bed apartments from 1,036 sq ft on this floor cost from £350,000 to £365,000.
There is no showhouse on view for the 10 two and three-storey houses to the right of the entrance gates which are also to be sold from Saturday. One 900 sq ft two-bedroom townhouse costs £380,000, one three-bedroom house of 1,200 sq ft is £480,000 and eight three-storey four-bedroom houses of 1,450 sq ft are priced at £525,000.
The nine duplex penthouses will be sold in early autumn to complete the development. These will have either two bedrooms and a study or three bedrooms. One spectacular penthouse has a semi-circular curved sitting/diningroom with double doors to a curved triangular-shaped kitchen. Prices for these are to be decided closer to the sale date. The grounds around Dunstaffnage Hall will be fully landscaped and there will be an underground car-park.
