Apartments, townhouses in university town

Maynooth: from €221,500: Sixty more homes are being released at a large scheme in Co Kildare. Kate McMorrow reports

Another 60 houses and apartments go on sale today in phase two of Straffan Wood, an Albany Homes scheme at Maynooth, Co Kildare. Coonan Real Estate Alliance will be taking bookings at three show units which open for viewing on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Prices start at €221,500 for two-bedroom apartments of 60.3-63.3 sq m (650-682 sq ft). Two-bedroom mid-terrace townhouses of 74.3 sq m (800 sq ft) cost from €254,950. Mid-terrace three-bed houses of 88.5 sq m (953 sq ft) start at €285,000 while three-bedroom end-terrace houses are from €295,500.

Maynooth is a university town with a large student population, so letting out should not be a problem. The Straffan Wood site is on the Straffan Road, a few minutes' walk from the town centre and the train station. The Arrow rail service to the city takes 22 minutes, while the M4 connects with both the city and the M50.

Construction is well under way and buyers in this phase should be moving in from June this year onwards, according to the selling agent. Both houses and apartments are arranged in small curved blocks surrounded by open areas which will be fully landscaped.

Interior specification is good, with teak doors, fireplaces, modern wardrobes and good quality bathroom ware all part of the package. Kitchens are Shaker-style, with appliances not included. Heating is by natural gas. There are several different layouts to choose from.

A typical two-bed townhouse has the kitchen/breakfastroom to the front and a sittingroom spanning the house to the rear. Doors open to the garden. Upstairs, there is a main bathroom off the landing and an en suite shower off the largest bedroom.

Some three-bedroom houses have the sittingroom to the front, a good-sized kitchen/dining area to the rear and an en suite off the main bedroom. Others have an opposite ground floor configuration.

Apartments have an L-shaped hallway, with a sitting/diningroom across the hall from the kitchen and main bathroom. A balcony opens off the sittingroom and main bedroom. Recent schemes by developer Albany Homes include Feltrim in Swords, Baker's walk in Kilcock and Pembroke Court in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. The architect for Straffan Wood is Frank Elmes.

A total of 240 units, including apartments and houses, will be built at Straffan Wood when the development is completed.