Proximity to St Anne's Park, the coast at Bull Island and a DART station are the main attractions of a new Shannon Homes housing scheme being launched today at Raheny, Dublin 5.
Prices range from £175,000 to £245,000 (€222,200E 311,090) for the first 20 of the 47 units at Belmont Square. Five two-bedroom garden apartments, eight two and three-bedroom townhouses and semis and seven three-bedroom duplex apartments are on sale in the first phase. One showhouse at the near-complete development is open for viewing, while a second phase is expected to be released fairly soon.
The scheme, in grounds formerly belonging to the adjacent Capuchin Friary, is small and very private, tucked away at the end of Belmont Road. It is only a few minutes' walk from the village and Raheny DART station.
Hooke & MacDonald expects the bulk of purchasers to come from the neighbourhood, either downsizing from a larger house in Clontarf or moving up from somewhere further out. Architect McCrossan O'Rourke has grouped the townhouses, apartments and duplexes around a raised landscaped area, with separate smaller open spaces between the rows of townhouses.
Prices reflect the close proximity to the city and the added pleasure of living beside St Anne's Park, according to David Cantwell of the selling agents.
Two-bedroom garden apartments of 680 sq ft are priced from £175,000 (€222,200); 840 sq ft twobed townhouses from £189,950 (€241,190); three-bedroom duplex units of 1,140 sq ft cost from £212,000 (€269,180) and 970 sq ft three-bedroom end-terrace and semi-detached houses start at £230,000 (€292,040). One three-bedroom house on a larger site is £245,000 (€311,090. The entire scheme will be ready for occupation by the beginning of July.
Entrance gates flanked by two classic-style stone pillars mark the entrance to Belmont Square. The own-door apartments, from £175,000 (€222,200), are at garden level beneath the three-bedroom duplexes and come with a small private patio. These have a tiny entrance lobby, leaving most of the remaining space for a good-sized sitting/ diningroom with sliding doors to the terrace. Off this is a neat kitchen with smart white-painted units. An inner hallway leads to the bathroom and a double and single bedroom, with the main room en suite.
The three-bedroom duplexes, at 1,140 sq ft, are quite spacious, and choice units have far-off views of the sea and the Wicklow mountains. There is a sittingroom and separate kitchen/diningroom with doors to a balcony wide enough for a couple of deck-chairs. Upstairs there is one double bedroom with en suite, two singles and the main bathroom.
Two-bedroom mid-terrace townhouses of 840 sq ft cost from £189,950 (€241,190). The hall is sensibly small, enlarging the sittingroom, which has the stairs in a far corner of the room. A good kitchen/diningroom to the rear has stylish white and steel units and there are doors at the dining end out to a small town garden.
Three-bedroom end of terrace and semi-detached houses of 970 sq ft are priced from £230,000 (€292,040). These have a traditional long hallway, good-sized sittingroom and large kitchen/diningroom with doors to the garden. There are two double bedrooms and one boxroom upstairs and the largest room is en suite. A family bathroom is off the landing. While the third bedroom narrowly accommodates a single bed and includes a wardrobe and bookshelves, some owners will convert this room to a study.
Shannon Homes's previous housing developments include Donnybrook Castle, St Gabriel's in Cabinteely and, most recently, Chapelgate in Drumcondra. Landscapers are planting 16 mature trees in the open space at the entrance to the new scheme, which a management company will maintain. Parking is free and there is one space allocated to each purchaser.
