Buying bricks, bars and books

Manor Park Homes is pushing the boat out on its latest housing development at the former Ongar Stud at Clonee in Dublin 15

Manor Park Homes is pushing the boat out on its latest housing development at the former Ongar Stud at Clonee in Dublin 15. They have just been granted planning permission for a village development which will have a whole range of shops, as well as a school, bars and restaurants, and a leisure centre. There will also be a 17-acre park for the use of the 3,000 people expected to move to new houses on the site. If the plan works out it will be the first of its kind. In the past, the most developers have done is provide some open space and a few shops. They have also been known to scrap plans for amenities at the last minute and simply build more houses. Hopefully Manor Park's example will be followed on other large schemes, but don't hold your breath. To coincide with the launch of Ongar Village, Manor Park has even produced a book by artist and historian Pat Liddy on the past, present and future of Ongar, which was owned for many years by the Ali Khan. A copy of the book will be given to each new resident of the scheme.