Sandymount home is right on the strand

A detached Victorian four-bedroom house directly overlooking the sea at 12 Strand Road in Sandymount carries a guide price of £1 million (1.27m) prior to auction on November 22nd. It is for sale through Jackson-Stops.

Hidden behind a high hedge that protects it from the traffic, this is one of just a handful of houses that front directly onto Sandymount Strand. While the property needs extensive refurbishment, the special location is sure to attract people seeking a period home in the area. However, number 12 will not be detached for long. The owners have planning permission to build a new house for themselves adjoining it, on a narrow side garden to the right of the house. The new house is designed to blend in with the original structure and it will have a separate entrance from Strand Road.

The double-fronted house, which has around 3,000 sq ft of space, dates from the mid-19th century and has some fine original features, including period fireplaces and decorative cornicework. New owners will almost certainly change the order of the rooms to suit their own use. For instance, there is no bathroom on the first floor. There are three reception rooms on the ground floor. Two of these have attractive fireplaces.

The livingroom to the front has a bay window, while the diningroom has a tall sash window overlooking the narrow strip of back garden and the sea walls. Agate in the wall leads to the strand.

A rear hallway also has a view of the back garden and the sea. It leads to the kitchen and to a utility room that opens on to the garden. These rooms in particular are in need of refurbishment. The third reception room, currently used as a bedroom, also overlooks the front garden and would make a good study or family room. The bathroom and a store room lead off a short corridor.

Upstairs, the bedrooms facing the sea are fine bright rooms with wonderful views. The main bedroom will lose a side window once the new house is built.

The back garden is no more than a strip of grass bounded by the sea wall. However, with the entire strand at their disposal the small garden should not be a drawback.