Looking at the four buildings comprising Egremont from the ground, you notice their firmly modernist design, all sharp angles, cantilevered boxes and mosaiced German brickwork. Look down at them from above, however (you’ll need a drone), and you see where the architects are looking to marry modern lifestyle with sustainable, nature-friendly living. The development is designed to look like four green fingers spread out over a neatly landscaped space, in keeping with the concept of sustainable building in this scenic part of south Co Dublin.
Egremont’s 47 units – a mix of houses, duplexes and apartments – are built to “passive-house” standard, meaning they are energy-efficient, comfortable and cost-efficient. They’re fitted with the latest innovations in passive-house technology, including air-source heat pumps and Nilan Comfort CT300 mechanical ventilation to constantly filter out dust, pollen, moisture and odours to keep the air fresh and healthy all year round.
The end result is that homeowners will see their energy and running costs greatly reduced right into the future as the house works away in the background to maintain maximum efficiency.
Egremont is located just off the busy junction of Church Road and Killiney Avenue in south Dublin, in a site surrounded by mature trees, and with superb views on all sides out to Killiney Hill and the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains.
‘Lots of guests got tattooed’: Jack Reynor and best man Sam Keeley on his wedding, making speeches and remaining friends
Forêt restaurant review: A masterclass in French classic cooking in Dublin 4
I went to the cinema to see Small Things Like These. By the time I emerged I had concluded the film was crap
Charlene McKenna: ‘Within three weeks, I turned 40, had my first baby and lost my father’
The developers are looking at early completions starting next spring, and the first phase of the project – designed by architects McCullough Mulvin and built by Durkan Residential – is now on sale, and comprises six apartments, eight duplexes and nine houses. The two-bedroom apartments are between 77sq m (823sq ft) and 82sq m (878sq ft) and start at €475,000 while the two-bed plus study duplexes run from 136sq m (1,464sq ft) to 149sq m (1,600sq ft) and start at €600,000. The three-bed plus study houses measure from 165sq m (1,780sq ft) to a generous 246sq m (2,648sq ft) and range in price from €895,000 to €1.1 million.
No two houses are the same, say the developers, with each having its own design characteristics to distinguish it from its neighbours. The showhouse certainly carries on the ultra-modern look indoors, and it’s hard to picture a full-on family set-up in this sleek designer setting.
For young professionals on the move upwards, and looking to get a foothold in the area, however, this could be ideal, and for older couples looking to downsize from a big home that no longer works for them, this could provide all the comfort and convenience they need at the next stage in their lives.
The two-bed apartments qualify for both the Help-to-Buy (HTB) scheme and the First-Home scheme (FHS).
The houses are to the right of the development, and laid out over three storeys, with a mix of easterly and westerly facing rear gardens, each with its own patio area. Downstairs is a guest bedroom to the front which can also be used as a study or home office, with a handy Jack-and-Jill bathroom.
The open-plan kitchen and dining area has fully fitted Kube units, Sinquastone Snowdrift worktops and island unit, undermounted Blanco sink with single-lever mixer tap, and Bosch and Nordemende integrated appliances. There’s a small utility room off this, which is plumbed for a washer and dryer.
Upstairs is your main living space, a long livingroom that opens out to a small balcony at the rear and has a large floor-to-ceiling window box giving panoramic views and letting in lots of light. This room has been staged with a couch/TV viewing area to the rear and two lounge chairs looking out to the front, but in reality you can see owners clearing the front area for the toddlers to play, or putting in a dining table for hosting dinner parties. There’s also a small study/office on this floor.
The second-floor landing also has plenty of room to put a desk or workstation without getting in anyone’s way, so there’s no shortage of working-from-home or study space – and the high ceiling with light box gives a great open mezzanine feel to the area.
There are two double bedrooms on this level, both with fully tiled en suites, and the main bedroom to the rear also boasts a spacious walk-in wardrobe.
All the windows are triple-glazed and each house comes with two designated car parking spaces (only one for each apartment and duplex, alas). The parking spaces are equipped for electric vehicle (EV) charging, and the scope is there to fit smart chargers and allow for separate billing so you can rent out a space for other residents to charge their cars.
Egremont is close to both Ballybrack village and Killiney Shopping Centre, and it’s a four-minute drive to Killiney Dart Station. It’s also close to the N11 and M50, and there are plenty of bus routes to get you into Dún Laoghaire, Blackrock or Dublin city centre. Killiney beach, the Vico Road and the many walking routes on Killiney Hill and Dalkey Hill are also within easy reach, as is Dalkey village with its trendy restaurants, pubs and artisan cafes.
The first phase of Egremont, Church Road, Killiney, is on sale now, with two-bed apartments, two-bed with study duplexes and three-bed with study houses on sale with prices ranging from €475,000 to €1.1 million through Sherry FitzGerald, all with a Ber rating of A2.
