£134,950 four-bed bungalows at Kells

A development of four-bedroom detached bungalows at Kells, Co Meath, is going on sale this weekend, priced from £134,950. None of the 32 units have been pre-sold, according to the selling agent, Leahy Property Consultants, which expects interest to come from a wide area, given the scarcity of new bungalows coming on the market.

Completion is promised by Christmas for half of the houses with the rest to be finished by May, 2000. Cherry Hill Manor is located off Maudlin Street, in Kells, on an elevated site adjoining Blackwater Stud and overlooking the Blackwater river. A journey from Dublin city took just over an hour in ideal traffic conditions.

Kells is a pretty, mid-sized Co Meath town, with traditional shopfronts and an abundance of sporting amenities such as golf, fishing and horse riding. Navan, now part of the Dublin commuter belt, is less than 10 miles south of the town.

The builder is Cygnet Properties, which was responsible for Coolmine Lodge, at Clonsilla, and Glenvale in Lucan. Exteriors at Cherry Hill Manor are of brick to the front, with easy-care pebble-dash side and back walls and a wood front door with stained-glass panels.

Viewers who visit the two showhouses this weekend will be surprised to find ultramodern interiors behind what, at first glance, are traditional double-fronted bungalows. There are unusual angled ceilings, giving a great feeling of spaciousness.

There are two different types of interior layout, both the same size at 1,575 sq ft. In 20 of the units, priced at £137,950, the bedrooms are at the front of the house to take advantage of south-facing views over the river.

There is a very large sittingroom at the back with a high, angled ceiling and a sunroom leading out to a patio. An attractive black cast-iron fireplace is standard.

In the showhouse, a deck has been laid outside the sunroom and many purchasers will opt for this at an extra cost of £1,000. The adjoining kitchen/dining area also has a tall angled ceiling. This room is large by any standard, with Shaker-style maple units and a big utility and guest lavatory off. Down-lighters have been fitted.

The main bedroom has a lovely deep bay window, built-in wardrobes and a roomy en suite shower room with stylish marble-effect tiles. Bedroom two is a good double with fitted wardrobes and the other two are singles, also with wardrobes. There is a good-sized main bathroom.

The second house type has a more traditional layout and costs £134,950. There is a large sittingroom to the front with a box bay window and timber fireplace as standard. Across the hall is a small single bedroom, which could do duty as a study.

The kitchen/diningroom to the rear has a roof-high angled ceiling and a sunroom leading to the garden. Units here are of cherrywood and there is a utility room but no guest lavatory. As with the first house design, the main bedroom has a large en suite, a second double room and two singles, all with fitted wardrobes. With six houses to the acre, gardens are all a good size and fenced and walled to the rear. There will be low brick walls bordering the front lawns.

All the houses will face a landscaped green with a pillared brick and iron-railed entrance to the development.