Galway: from € 265,000The seaside village of Barna is now a Galway suburb with a mix of new homes and shops. Thirty-four apartments go on sale this weekend from €265,000, writes Jack Fagan
Barna's reputation as one of the most sought-after locations in the Galway area has strengthened over the years. The old coastal village has been transformed by new shopping and residential facilities that have opened the way for more businesses and more families to move into the area.
The changes have not been without controversy but they are continuing, with plans to provide a top class hotel on the site of the old Twelve Pins. That project will broaden the range of community facilities in the area.
Even when there weren't the remotest signs of change in Barna, O'Malley Construction bought 16 acres despite the fact that previous owners had failed in their attempts to get planning permission for a housing development.
In due course, O'Malley not only got planning permission but was encouraged by An Bord Pleanála to increase the overall density and develop two apartment blocks at the front of the site to create a more appropriate village setting.
The result is an interesting mixture of heights, façades and styles that make the Creagán scheme one of the most distinctive in the area. Like all O'Malley developments, it is marked by good design and high quality finishes. Even before the 48 apartments are officially launched this weekend, 14 have already been reserved.
The remainder will be on view from today by appointment with O'Malley (091-509970). There will be a mixture of one-bedroom apartments available with an average floor area of 42sq m (450sq ft) costing from €265,000 to €275,000.
Most of the units will be 65-74sq m (700-800sq ft) two-bedroom homes priced from €320,000 to €350,000. Five retail units on the ground floor have also been sold in advance and one of them is to be a large crèche.
Behind the two apartment blocks fronting on to the main street in Barna, O'Malley has already completed over 100 three, four and five-bedroom semis, terraced and detached houses. They were sold by word of mouth in record time just 18 months ago.
Several which have since come back on the market have shown remarkable capital appreciation in that short time. A three-bed terraced home that originally sold for €295,000 has since been resold for €395,000; a four-bed detached unit launched at €410,000 recently made €575,000 while a five-bed detached home first sold at €510,000 has now changed hands at €750,000.
Helen Casserly, managing director of O'Malley Construction, believes the apartments will also show significant appreciation. The large livingroom-cum-kitchens have an electric fire behind a glass screen and separate mains gas-heated radiators.
The use of downlighters rather than conventional centre lights is attractive. Kitchens have solid granite worktops and there is also generous use of good quality tiles, granite and fitted wooden units in some of the bathrooms.
The two-bedroom apartments come with en suite shower rooms as well as the main bathroom. Bedrooms have fitted cream and beech wardrobes and are larger than usual. Fit-outs generally in all the apartments are exceptionally good.
The three-storey design by McCrossan, O'Rourke and Manning means that individual entrance foyers service only three units. The upper floors are served by lifts as well as staircases.
Near Barna on the Western Distributor Road, O'Malley Construction has just got planning permission for 160 houses. The company is also planning to begin development work next spring on a scheme of up to 240 houses at Roscam, off the Old Oranmore Road.
O'Malley is also gearing up for two Dublin developments, one of them involving over 500 apartments in a joint venture with Dorville Homes at Dundrum.
The company has also acquired a site for 160 upmarket homes at Knockrabo, off Mount Anville Road, Dublin 14.
