Bolton Hall, a Georgian residence on 4.75 acres in Rathfarnham, Dublin, was purchased in 2005, and planning records show an application was sought for a mixture of residential, office and retail units on the grounds.

In 2011, developer James Staunton – through architects MDO, who designed the original plans – applied to extend the duration of permission granted for 26 residential units, whittled down from an original 91, as planning had lapsed.

This was refused by South Dublin County Council and the site was sold in 2015.

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Initially guiding at €3.5 million, it was purchased by Homeland Projects for €4.75 million.

Homeland Projects, led by husband and wife team Neil and Aoife Collins, also developed nearby Silveracre on Sarah Curran Road.

The couple restored the Regency house, and constructed seven high-end properties on the two-acre site – all of which sold for between €717,000 and €1.15 million since 2015.

Extensive renovation

Their current offering of Bolton Park includes 17 new builds – six of which are completed with the remainder due by April 2017.

Also included is Bolton Hall – a five-bay Georgian house, which is undergoing extensive renovation following a fire in 2009.

Added to this is the conversion of an old paper mill, which will offer three units with vaulted ceilings, exposed original brickwork and internal courtyards, and a cut granite coach house.

Although never launched, the mill, coach and manor house are all under negotiation.

"There is such interest in the old properties, we have had people here for months enquiring about them as they are so rare," says estate agent Barry Feenan, of Knight Frank.

"We learnt from the project at Silveracre that, for unique conversions, it's really important to have the purchaser on board at the layout stage, so we can design the properties with their needs in mind," says developer Neil Collins.

Collins, a native of Co Limerick, has worked on building sites since the age of 13 with an uncle who ran a building company.

He engaged conservation architect David Slattery to oversee the restoration projects, while Ferreira Architects designed the new builds, and DMA Landscape Design are busy on site integrating the old and new gardens.

Collins' wife Aoife, an interior designer, oversaw the interiors with Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design, who also collaborated on the project at Silveracre.

Eager buyers

Included in the price of the new builds at Bolton Park, is a day’s consultation with McIntyre to assist purchasers with décor decisions.

New builds comprise of elegant detached and semi-detached properties with A3 BER energy ratings.

Sizes vary from 170sq m to 177sq m, and prices range from €750,000 to €915,000 for the showhouse.

The sylvan location of Bolton Park is really special. The mix of contemporary new builds alongside the coach house, mill and Georgian house really adds character to the grounds.

“Even though the site is almost five acres – there are two acres of green spaces. We tried to retain as many of the period features on the site – including the old granite walls and railings.

“The stepping stones, which form a path through the old orchard, were the original flagstones in the mill,” says Collins.

New houses are spacious with 3m (10ft) high ceilings on the ground floor, and feature a dual aspect open plan kitchen, dining and living area.

The dining area opens out to the rear garden through two sets of French windows, and the living room overlooks the communal orchard garden to the front.

Stepped shaker kitchens by Cawleys Kitchens, include AEG appliances, remote control flush to ceiling extractor fans, and solid quartz countertops.

Properties currently for sale have four bedrooms – three fine doubles and a single.

The use of rough cast pebbledash on the upper exterior will protect the properties from the vagaries of Irish weather for 70 years.

After sitting in limbo for over a decade, the Bolton Park development has finally come to fruition.

While the more interesting period properties have been snapped up early by eager buyers, the spacious well-designed new builds are now on the market through agent Knight Frank.