North Dublin/€895,000-€1m: Four and five-bed houses at Roganstown, near Swords, are just 12 miles from the city centre. Kate McMorrow reports.
Luxurious four and five-bedroom detached houses on a golf course 12 miles from O'Connell Street go on sale with Hamilton Osborne King this weekend. Pleasantly rural, the location at Roganstown is just two miles from the airport and three from Swords.
With prices from €895,000 to €1.25 million, upgrading from a good period house in the city to Roganstown Golf and Country Club is not a huge leap. Early buyers bought up the first 10 houses in a quiet launch before Christmas and another 10 are now officially on sale.
Designed by Christie O'Connor Junior in the former grounds of Roganstown House, the new 18-hole championship course is set to open in May and a 50-bedroom hotel and clubhouse will open in March. The use of the leisure centre, pool and spa will be free to club members. Membership of the golf club costs €15,000 and there are places available .
Developer McInerney Construction has built the 20 detached houses in the grounds of Roganstown House, preserving well-grown trees and hedgerows where possible. The result is an instantly mature landscape, complemented by a comprehensive planting programme which includes waterfalls, ponds and shrubberies.
Three types of house are on offer. Four-bedroom bungalows of 246 sq m (2,650 sq ft) cost €895,000 and €1 million. Four-bedroom detached houses of 288 sq m (3,100 sq ft) start at €940,000.
One five-bedroom detached house is €1.25 million and a four-bedroom furnished showhouse is for sale for €1.15 million. Double garages of 42 sq m (450 sq ft) are provided. Each house or bungalow is on at least half an acre of private gardens, all south-facing, fully landscaped and facing onto the fairways. As you would expect, the houses are fitted out to an exceptional standard. Underfloor heating with individual thermostats is standard, a sound system is fitted and there is central vacuuming.
Mood lighting is also included and double garages have electronic doors. Broad timber decking wrapping around the houses are accessed through several sets of French doors.
The main entrance to each house is through a hand-made trellis porch with white sandstone tiling and mahogany front door. Hallways have good natural light from tall windows on the half landing. Interior features include wideplank oak flooring and oak skirtings, steel light fittings and high ceilings. An oak understairs cupboard houses the central vacuum system. The living accommodation is sensibly arranged, with a huge kitchen/diningroom opening through double doors to three different sittingrooms, one a sunroom. Fireplaces in the sittingrooms are of natural stone.
Expensive maple kitchen units with glide-out steel lined drawers are topped with polished granite and an island unit has double steel sinks inserted. A full range of appliances are part of the sale and large porcelain floor slabs are laid.
Oak flooring in the sittingrooms are also included and there is a generous €15,000 allowance for tiling. In the larger showhouse, the main bedroom suite is laid out like a separate apartment, with steps to a large en suite bathroom. The aquavision TV built into the wall at the end of of the bath is an extra indulgence worth considering.
Four bedrooms each have an en suite shower or bathroom with quality sanitary ware and oak wardrobes are fitted. The fifth downstairs bedroom is kitted out as a study in show units.
Each house has an outlook over the golf course, across beautifully landscaped gardens. Lawns, water features, Japanese-style bridges, pebbled paths and heavy planting give showhouses a mature look. The houses in this phase will be ready to move into in early 2005. Viewing is by appointment .
