Killiney: €7.75m This four-bedroom house comes with planning permission to build a 845sq m (9,000sq ft) extension. Rose Doyle reports

Killiney House sits high on Killiney Hill, close to the village and surrounded by two acres of lavishly planted gardens. Situated on Killiney Hill Road, Co Dublin, this is one of the oldest houses in the area and has fine views.

HOK Residential will auction the property on May 31st. It has an AMV of €7.75m.

Built in 1740, the original house has a rambling 288sq m (3,100sq ft) of living space in which original sash and bay windows more than make the most of the location.

New owners will inherit planning permission to build an extension of 836sq m (9,000sq ft), which is five times the size of an average four-bedroom house.

Just a courtyard away from the main house there are a couple of converted coach houses and a former gardener's cottage which is now a guest lodge.

This is the site for the planned new building which has been modelled on the large perios houses of the area.

Killiney House itself has four bedrooms, four reception rooms, kitchen/breakfastroom and sunroom, all of which have been recently refurbished and decorated.

Killiney House has had its share of colourful living. The present owner, businessman Michael Maye, paid £3m for the property in 1999 when he bought it from Jim Kerr, lead singer with Simple Minds, and his former partner Patsey Kensit. Before its brush with the rock world, Killiney House had been the home of local GP Dr Millerick for many years.

The dining room is a delight with its deep bay window overlooking the garden and soothing, bluey-green walls. The drawing room has a similar bay window.

There is also great charm in the entrance hallway where an arch perfectly frames both the ascending stairs and a view of the rooms to the rear of the house. The sun room leads to a small, enclosed garden. The bedrooms, which have polished floorboards, have spectacular views. The main, minimalist -style bedroom, has a walk-in dressing room and an ensuite with free-standing bath and sea-coloured mosaic tiling from floor to ceiling.

Peter Maye, the owner's father and a master stone mason from Mayo, has lavished months of care on the making of fine, dry stone wall terraces, walks and arches in the gardens. The Cong limestone was hand picked by Maye senior.

The house and grounds can be viewed on www.killineyhouse.com