New housing developments in the sought-after village of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, have been very rare in recent years, so a 4.9-acre tract of zoned residential land that has come on the market is expected to stir substantial interest.

It is thought that the partially elevated site at Forge Road will fetch over £3.5 million (#4.4 million) when it is sold by public tender on May 9th through the Phillips Partnership.

About 250 metres from the clock tower in the centre of the village, the land fronts on to Forge Road. It is 13 miles from Dublin's city centre and two miles from the N1 and M11.

The rear of the site is bounded by Eagle Valley, one of the few residential developments to have been built in Enniskerry in recent years. The luxury four and five-bedroom 2,800 to2,700 sq ft houses have soared in value since they were built, and now sell for between £650,000 to £750,000 (#825,000 to #952,000).

The Phillips Partnership expects that the residential density guideline of 14 to 20 units per acre will apply on the site going for sale. It is marketing the lands as suitable for "high spec/low density housing (taking ad

vantage of the high elevation section) with high quality apartments and clusters of townhouses elsewhere".

Houses rarely come on the market in the village and those that do tend to go to auction. There is currently a two-bedroom terraced cottage for sale with a guide price of £200,000 (#253,950).

Enniskerry Demesne, a small development beside the Summerhill Hotel, has just sold out. Five-bed detached houses there cost £700,000 (#888,820).