Sixteen four-bedroom detached and semi-detached houses go on sale at Ratoath, Co Meath, this weekend through Hamilton Osborne King. Prices range from £230,000 to £285,000 for the houses in Coill Beag, a development of 59 units in three different styles. The builder, Saltan Properties, was also responsible for Louisa Valley at Leixlip and St John's at Ashbourne.

The first phase of 16 houses going on the market will be ready to move into next January and the entire scheme should be completed within 12 months. Ratoath is an expanding town 15 miles from the city centre, a short distance from the Dublin-Ashbourne road.

Living space is generous in the Coill Beag houses and there are bigger gardens than in new schemes closer to the city. The smallest house on offer, a four-bedroom semi costing from £230,000, measures 1,495 sq ft. Four-bedroom detached houses of 1,572 sq ft are priced from £250,000 and larger four-bedroom detached houses with integral garages and 1,650 sq ft of accommodation start at £285,000.

General features of all the houses include good sensible-sized kitchens with Cedar or Maple units and two of the four bedrooms have en suite shower rooms. There are three double bedrooms and one single. House exteriors are half brick with double box-bay windows and tiled porches; the semi-detached houses are double-fronted. Gardens will be levelled and seeded with post and timber fencing to the rear.

Ratoath has thrived in recent years, with several new housing estates and an ever increasing selection of neighbourhood shops.

The three showhouses will be on view this Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m.