Take the plunge in Malahide

Sweeping sea views and contemporary design are on offer at Robswall – beside Robswall Castle on the Coast Road between Malahide and Portmarnock in Co Dublin. The only stumbling block is that the prospective buyer will need to take a leap of faith, as the development of two five-bedroom detached houses has yet to be built.

The properties (in blue and grey int he picture on the left) are being sold by estate agent and developer Kevin Flanigan whose offices are in Malahide. Flanigan lives next door to the site which he bought 10 years ago for €2.7 million.

The houses have been designed by architect Niall D Brennan of Niall D Brennan Associates (who most recently did Orwell Park, the first phase of which has sold out through agents Sherry FitzGerald). He also refurbished Dartry House, transforming the former mansion of William Martin Murphy into seven luxury finish apartments.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 3

The houses will have zinc and sedum roofs and a raised ground floor where most of the reception rooms will be, to take advantage of the sea views. “There will be floor-to-ceiling glass walls and projecting windows, like the prow of a boat,” says Brennan.

Site one offers views of Portrane, the Island Golf Course, Rockbill Lighthouse in Skerries and Lambay Island.

Site two looks across to Howth harbour, Ireland’s Eye and a public car park. The houses will measure about 367 sq m (3961 sq ft), and each is asking €2.1 million.

The builders are Coyleville Developments run by Mikey Reid, from Trillick, Co Tyrone. He built Springvale, an estate of detached houses on Millview Road in 2005, and The Tramway apartments in Blessington, Co Wicklow, in 2001.Greenhill Kitchens will be installing the custom-built kitchens.

Flanigan is involved in a couple of other developments; Ardrium, with a nursing home, crèche, chemist and restaurant in Swords, and a housing development beside the river in the centre of Ballyboughal village, in north Co Dublin.

Reid hopes that work will start in 2014 and that building will be completed in 2015.