Residential Property/Drogheda: from €175,000: Apartments which form part of the new Scotch Hall complex in the centre of Drogheda hit the market this week.
People who haven't been to Drogheda in a while will be pleasantly surprised at the transformation of the previously derelict south quays.
The new DeLacy bridge over the Boyne links the north bank of the river with Scotch Hall, a smart new shopping centre and four-star "The d" hotel.
There is a riverside boardwalk, cafés with outside tables and Christmas trees cheering up the December gloom. A multi-storey car-park accessed from the Dublin Road has plenty of capacity.
To round it all off, developer Edward Holdings is launching Scotch Hall Apartments through the Felicity Fox agency. Viewing starts next Wednesday for 78 one and two-bedroom apartments. These are priced from €175,000 to €335,000 and will be ready to move into by next February. An early run on the 10 waterfront apartments is likely, although the 68 apartments facing Marsh Road are larger, with west and south-facing balconies.
Prices range from €175,000 to €250,000 for 45-67sq m (481-675sq ft) one-beds and from €235,000 to €335,000 for 65-93sq m (780-1,000sq ft) two-beds.
The residential element of Scotch Hall has been built as an integral part of the entire project. The position is superb, overlooking the river and the Georgian buildings on Dublin Road and bang in the centre of town. Floors are sound-proofed, so there is no sense of being a mere lift journey from shops, restaurants and hotel.
With developments like Edward Square, Donnybrook and Galway's swanky new "The g" hotel among the firm's previous projects, buyers could expect a swish fit-out at Scotch Hall.
Apartments come in a variety of sizes and shapes, fitting into the outlines of the contemporary buildings designed by Douglas Wallace Architects. Judith Hannon of this company designed the smart retro-style show apartments. Included in the price is a full range of integrated kitchen appliances, wall-hung bathroom ware with heated towel rail and shower screen, floor and wall tiling and a great walk-in storage cupboard off the hall.
Apart from a couple of one-bedroom units, all apartments have decked sit-out balconies. Timber windows are standard throughout, many floor-to-ceiling. A typical two-bedroom apartment has a storage room off the hall and open-plan kitchen/living area, with tall windows opening to a decked balcony. Some have balcony access from two bedrooms and the livingroom. All two-beds come with a roomy en suite shower room.
Kitchens are fashionably modern, with glossy white units, walnut-look worktops, cream wall tiles and mid-brown floor tiles.
Bathrooms and en suites have wall-mounted wash-basins and toilets, cream porcelain floor and wall tiles, a glass shower screen and heated towel rail. Top floor waterfront apartments are striking light-filled spaces with double-height windows to take in the view. Walk-in wardrobes and en suites are fitted off the main bedrooms.
Planted communal spaces will be reserved for residents' use. A mainline train station with commuter services is a short walk up the road, while the journey to Dublin along the M1 takes about 35 minutes outside rush hour.
Car-parking is in place for the waterfront apartments and arrangements are being made for those units at the Marsh Road end. Management fees have not yet been firmed up.
Viewing is next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
