Castles fit for a kitchen king

Every king needs a castle to call home, but finding the right one is easier said than done – especially, it seems, in the case of millionaire kitchen king David Bobbett, whose H&K International provides worldwide kitchen fitouts for eateries such as McDonald's, Burger King and KFC.

In 2012, Bobbett traded up from his long-time Knocklyon home to a 275sq m semi in Terenure's upmarket Rathdown enclave, close to Bushy Park.

The house cost €1 million, but less than two years later in 2014 the businessman set his sights on a larger 1930s home five minutes away in Rathfarnham, off Butterfield Avenue. The 481sq m 10-bed home had sought €3.65 million in 2007, but the Bobbett family picked it up for a knockdown €1.25 million.

Planning permission was sought to reconfigure and extend the house to 535sqm, but just four months later a large detached house across the street came on the market and the Bobbetts snapped that up too for more than €1.4 million. Shortly after, an application was submitted to extend the existing 225sq m house to a massive 629sq m.

Then, towards the end of 2014, the Bobbetts acquired the nearby six-bed home of businessman Paschal Taggart, which backs onto Castle Golf Club, for €1.45 million. They have since been granted planning permission to reconfigure and extend that home to 656sq m in total, but have not begun construction, opting instead to rent it out as-is, recently seeking €3,400 per month.

As construction on the Bobbetts' two Butterfield homes progressed, their acquisition spree seemed to have ceased, but that changed in 2016, when agents Lisney brought a 0.67 acre development site to market in Churchtown on behalf of Vonbury Properties, guiding €800,000. The Bobbetts emerged as the purchasers once again, and have lately been given the green light for their largest home yet.

A palatial 1,104sq m dwelling will surely be the largest modern home in Dublin 14 and will include seven bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms.

The property will also feature a two-storey guesthouse and a double garage, and will enjoy an idyllic location, bounded by Milltown Golf Club on two sides.