40 homes - and 19 styles to choose from

Stepaside/from €280,000A second phase of 40 homes at the hugely popular Belarmine development in Stepaside, Dublin 18, is being launched this week through Sherry FitzGerald New Homes.

Some 220 homes sold in the first phase at Belarmine last October in a buying frenzy that resulted in €85 million worth of sales.

The developer, Castlethorn Homes, has come up with one of the most thoughtful and innovative schemes in Dublin and buyers have responded in droves to Belarmine.

With the city in front and the Dublin Mountains behind, Belarmine is located on an elevated 60-acre site off the Enniskerry Road that will eventually accommodate 528 homes.

It is within easy reach of the M50 and the Sandyford Luas line. The development also includes a village centre with shops, café, pharmacy, a health and beauty centre and lots of open space.

Dundrum - where the first of two massive new shopping centres is due to open in 2005 with a theatre, multi-screen cinema and 120 retail outlets - is within easy reach, as is a wide range of schools and sporting facilities.

Of the 40 homes in this phase, there are 19 different house, apartment and duplex styles to choose from.

One-bedroom apartments of 53 sq m (570 sq ft) are priced from €280,000-€295,000 while two-bedroom apartments of 70-76 sq m (753-818 sq ft) cost from €345,000 to €350,000.

Two-bedroom own door duplexes of 69-96 sq m (742-1,033 sq ft) are priced from €310,000 to €395,000 and three-bedroom duplexes (with a garden) of 121 sq m (1,302 sq ft) cost from €385,000 to €410,000. Most of the duplex and apartments have either patios or balconies.

In terms of terraced houses, there are two-bedroom homes of 76 sq m (818 sq ft) from €365,000, three-bedroom homes of 104-119 sq m (1,119-1,281 sq ft) from €430,000 to €500,000 and four-bedroom units of 123-148 sq m (1,324-1,593 sq ft) from €515,000 to €525,000.

Detached homes at Belarmine are very large. Four-bedroom homes of 172-216 sq m (1,851-2,325 sq ft) range in price from €850,000 to €925,000 while five-bedroom houses of 214 sq m (2,303 sq ft) cost €950,000. All houses have garden sheds with decking to the front.

There are many features as standard with all homes. Kitchens, for example, have a choice of three different styles of units with chrome fittings, polished granite worktops and integrated electrical appliances.

Bathrooms have Villeroy and Boch sanitary ware, chrome fittings and wall and floor tiling.

Architects McCrossan O'Rourke Manning have designed units with many interesting window shapes and sizes in a style that maximises space and light.

There is also a great variety of streetscapes in this scheme.