Launch of four- and five-bed houses priced from €475,000 on the former Dún Laoghaire golf course will be a timely test of the demand in the market, writes EDEL MORGAN
NEW HOMES launches are almost unheard of these days, so the unveiling of four- and five-bed homes priced from €475,000 at Honeypark on the old Dún Laoghaire golf course in Co Dublin will be an interesting test of the market.
This is just the second phase of homes to be launched on a site that has been hitting the headlines for a decade since the golf club agreed to sell it to Cosgrave developments. It was sold in 2002 in exchange for a 300-acre golf course and a new clubhouse at Ballyman Road, between Enniskerry and Bray, along with €20.3 million in cash.
Cosgrave Developments subsequently got planning permission for 856 homes on the southern part of the 78-acre site and a further 600 in its second phase on the northern part of the site, closer to Dún Laoghaire.
However, the collapse of the property market scuppered progress on the site and so far only a block of 143 affordable apartments has been built, and mostly occupied, at one of the entrances at the junction of Glenageary Road Upper and Kill Avenue.
Despite having loans in Nama, Cosgrave Developments is overseeing the development and the three brothers, Joe, Mick and Peter Cosgrave, are all actively involved on site. They are dipping their toes in the water with just 10 houses in this launch – and 43 in the entire phase – to test demand. Hooke MacDonald is the selling agent. The 180sq m (1,938sq ft) four-bed houses are priced from €475,000 and the 223sq m (2,400sq ft) five-beds cost from €555,000.
The brothers know they have to pull out all the stops to attract buyers in this market, but it remains to be seen if these prices are sufficiently tempting to feed the anecdotal demand for bigger family homes in the south Dublin area.
The houses, mostly terraced, are bright and spacious with high ceilings, sleek high-gloss kitchens and generous double bedrooms. They have A-rated energy efficiency, with heat recovery ventilation systems, and the rear gardens come landscaped, with wooden sheds and lockable rear access gates.
While interiors are spacious, gardens are minimal. There’s a small strip of planting to the front of each house and rear gardens are relatively small. However, all the houses have access to a 5.5-acre public park, which is on their doorstep and is nearing completion. Some of the houses overlook the one-acre lake, which has a duck house, a jetty and viewing deck. There’s also a tree-lined boulevard and under construction is a children’s playground, a multi-sport playing area, a piazza with amphitheatre-style seating and a park-keeper’s office. Native species of plants and flowers will feature and the developers have teamed up with the Curlew Trust to introduce wildlife, native reed beds and pond life including fish, moorhens and ducks to the park.
A neighbourhood centre and 1,050sq m (11,300sq ft) creche are planned for next year, but one wonders if their progress will depend on house sales.
While the four- and five-bed houses have a similar layout, the proportions of the reception rooms in the five-bed are slightly bigger. Both houses are arranged over three levels, with big entertainment rooms on the first floor, which could convert to an extra bedroom. Downstairs, as well as a good-sized front living room, there’s a bright open-plan kitchen/family room with vanilla gloss and wenge fitted units and glitzy beige stardust quartz worktops. The separate utility rooms have space for a washer and a dryer and further storage.
The main bedrooms on the second floor are large, with en suites and narrow balconies. In the five-bedroom house, this space also has a walk-in dressing room, a slightly deeper balcony and the en suite is shared with another bedroom. The bathrooms are well finished, with large shower enclosures and heated towel rails.
The development will have a management company and Wyse has been appointed the managing agent. The management charge for four-beds is €598 per year and for five beds is €635 per year. Each house comes with two car spaces.
The showhouses are on view on Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 5pm, and Sunday, 2pm to 5pm.
Honeypark, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin
New four- and five-bed homes on the former Dún Laoghaire golf course
Agent: Hooke MacDonald
