Malahide: from €270,000 A clearly modern Malahide developmnet was designed by award-winning architects.  Bernice Harrison reports.

The final phase of a new, contemporary-styled development in Malahide, Co Dublin, goes on sale this weekend with prices starting at 270,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.There are also two and three-bedroom units with prices rising to €525,000.

Lissadel Wood is unusual in that it was clearly designed with a clear, modern architectural vision by Opperman Associates, an award-winning firm.

The development is on the city side of Malahide village and is made up of 54 homes in total - 40 houses and 14 apartments. Most of the houses have already been sold and people have moved in, although there are some still for sale through Sherry FitzGerald New Homes .

What is being launched this weekend are the remaining 14 apartments, which are in two separate, low rise blocks.

The four one-bedroom apartments range from 40-45.5 sq m (430-489 sq ft) and from 270,000 to 295,000. They have one double bedroom, a livingroom with smart-looking kitchen units along one wall as well as a small angular, deck-floored balcony. As in all the apartments, there is a good-sized walk-in storage area.

Buyers in the market for a two-bedroom apartment have a better choice in that, as well as the conventional two-bedroom layout, there is the option of a buying a two-bedroom duplex.

There are five regular two-bedroom apartments from 62-74 sq m (667-796 sq ft) priced from 335,000 to 365,000. The bedrooms are doubles and the livingroom, while bright and with the advantage of the balcony, has the same line of kitchen units against one wall as the one-beds - this might not prove too attractive to owners keen on cooking.

For this viewer at least, the kitchen seemed to be too intrusive into the living area - but at least buyers will have the opportunity to see how the space works for themselves, as one of the two-bedroom units has been kitted out as a show apartment. The two bedroom duplex with 71.4 sq m (768 sq ft) is priced at 370,000.

The two duplex penthouses are very well laid out and, inside, they feel like a bright and spacious townhouse. At 111 and 118 sq m (1,194 and 1,270 sq ft) they are very large; this is reflected in the prices at €515,000 and €525,000. The two double bedrooms are both particularly good-sized and one of the bedrooms has an en suite. The hall has enough room for a decent-sized hall table or other piece of furniture and off it is a bathroom.

The livingroom is very bright and it has a decent-sized balcony - again, the smart-looking kitchen is against one wall but there is an island unit and that makes all the difference in dividing the space. One of these penthouses is the show apartment.

Three-bedroom duplexes - there are two of these - both have around 102 sq m (1,097 sq ft) and are priced at €415,000 and €425,000.

Standard features include fitted wardrobes, and integrated kitchen appliances. However buyers should note that the bathrooms in the show apartments are fully tiled and that the tiling allowance that is included in the sale price does not in fact allow for this. Car-parking is included and each block is serviced by a lift.

Buyers at the upper end of the price range might want to take a look at the few townhouses that are still for sale in Lissadel Wood, as these start at €495,000 for a three-bedroom house with its own garden.

The builder is Collen. Show apartments go on view this weekend.