Over €15m for 3.9-acre Sutton residential site

DevelopmentLandThe Dominican Sisters is to sell part of the convent and school grounds at Greenfield Road in Sutton, Co Dublin.

Estate agent Donal Ó Buachalla is quoting a guide price of over €15 million for the 1.58 hectares (3.9 acres) which is to be sold by tender on November 30th.

Not all of the site going for sale has residential zoning in Fingal Co Council's development plan 2005-2011.

According to the agents, 1.32 hectares (3.3 acres) is zoned objective "RS" to "provide for residential development and to protect and improve residential amenity". The balance of the site is zoned as open space.The site is located in an attractive coastal setting where there has been only limited development in recent years. The availability of the Dart service nearby will be a considerable bonus.

According to the agent, the property could accommodate a density of around 100 apartments per hectare. It also claims that two-bedroom apartments "could be expected to fetch prices of up to €550,000". However, a short distance away at Baldoyle, Menolly Homes is currently selling two-bedroom apartments for €300,000. The agent says the Sutton site is better located.

The site forms part of the Dominican Convent and St Dominic's High School for girls. The overall property held by the order previously comprised a convent, farm and junior cycle school before the secondary school opened in 1912. It has a projected long term enrolment of 675 pupils.

The order says that the proceeds of the sale will be used primarily towards constructing and supporting retirement facilities for elderly sisters.

The order is also providing for the separation of the convent and school premises and the provision of new replacement school facilities.