The Eastern Health Board is to sell a housing site of over 25 acres beside St Loman's Hospital, Lucan, Co Dublin. Joint agents Gunne and McDonald Brothers are quoting a guide price of £3.75 million for the land, which is to be auctioned on December 3rd. The site is the most important to come on the market in west Dublin this year. It is zoned for housing development and judging by the density allowed in the area, the new owners can expect to secure nine or 10 houses per acre.

Part of the EHB land was offered for sale about two years ago but was withdrawn from the market because of access problems. Since then, Michael Whelan's Maplewood Homes has secured planning permission for over 600 houses on an adjoining site on condition that he provides a link road from the Ballyboden roundabout to the Quarryvale roundabout. Part of the road will run through the EHB land. Garvan Walsh of Gunne said he expected a high level of interest in the land because of the immense scarcity of sites in the greater Dublin area. Another bonus was the land is located directly opposite the Hermitage Golf Club. Well-located sites in the Lucan area have been in particularly keen demand over the past few years. Last month, Dublin housebuilder Deane Brothers paid £2.9 million for a four-acre site at The Orchard on the Old Leixlip Road.

There is no current planning permission on the site but it is considered likely that the planners may allow between 80 and 100 residential units to be developed. There is also an existing cottage on the site.