Woodburn, an 1840s house on Sydney Avenue, off Mount Merrion Avenue, in Blackrock, Co Dublin, comes to the market relatively late in the season - but it is likely to attract a great deal of interest given its location on one of Blackrock's best avenues. The main attraction of this property, however, is likely to be its garden.
The semi-detached five-bedroom house stands on 0.6 of an acre extending to Frascati Park at the rear. With considerable road frontage at both addresses - 80 ft on Frascati Park and 130 ft on Sydney Avenue, there is obvious potential to build one or more houses in the grounds, subject to the necessary planning permission.
Simon Ensor of Sherry FitzGerald, who is handling the sale, expects bids in excess of £1.7 million at auction on November 15th. Houses at this end of the market have not done well at auction this season with several remaining for sale in the £1.5 million to £2 million bracket. However, Woodburn's potential will almost certainly help it to sell under the hammer.
According to Simon Ensor, the house will probably be bought by a private individual who will keep the garden intact and perhaps build a second house at a later stage. However, house builders are certain to be among the viewers, given the development potential on Frascati Park where a semi-detached house recently sold for £500,000.
Woodburn is set well back from the road, with a large front garden and plenty of off-street car-parking. It has been lived in by the same family for about 20 years, and though it is an elegant and charming house, it now needs extensive renovation.
It's difficult to see what style of house it actually is, given the sheer amount of creeper covering the front and rear facades. However, it is basically two-storey, with potential for an extension to the side taking in a yard and outbuildings.
It has a floor area of around 2,500 sq ft that includes three nicely proportioned reception rooms leading off a large almost square hallway. The drawingroom, on the left of the hall, originally connected to a second room through an open arch that has since been filled in. This could easily be reversed to create one large room running from front to back of the house and with access to the back garden.
On the other side of the hall is a livingroom. A rear hall leads to the kitchen, breakfastroom, lavatory and door to the enclosed yard at the side of the house.
An elegant staircase winds its way to the upper floor where there is a bedroom, bathroom, and lavatory on a side return, and four double bedrooms on the first floor.
The large front and side garden is screened by mature trees which give a great sense of privacy. The back garden is bounded by a ditch that needs to be fenced off. There is also an unfenced stream at the end of the garden.
