Spacious apartments with good storage

Swords/from €259,000: Apartments at Cedar Square in Swords come with well thought-out interiors, writes Bernice Harrison

Having seen one too many new apartments where the developers clearly expect the buyers never to own a vacuum cleaner or an ironing board - never mind some sports equipment or a couple of winter coats - it's nice for a change to see a development where storage has been thought through, the living space has room for the amount of furniture people actually live with and all in a price range of many first-time buyers.

Cedar Square in Swords is the latest phase in what is now a maturing development close to Swords village on the old Forrest Road, opposite Forrest Little Golf Club.

Prices start at €259,000 for one-bedroom apartments of 59sq m (640sq ft), two-bedroom apartments of 75-91sq m (815-985sq ft) are from €310,000 and the three-bedroom apartments of 99sq m (1,067sq ft) are from €350,000.

The square footage is worth noting because it is considerably bigger than many other new developments and the two-bed and three-bed units are much the same size as new townhouses.

There is a definite feeling of space in the apartments - with good hallways, livingrooms with tall windows often with duel aspect, proper double bedrooms with built-in wardrobes and spacious bathrooms.

In the two-bed and three-bed units the kitchens are separate from the main livingroom and, in the end-of-block units, there's a window in the decent-sized kitchen - a rarity in apartment developments. Off the hall is a walk-in cupboard, as well as a hotpress. The two-bed and three-bed apartments have en suites.

The 74 apartments are in three four-storey blocks - the larger units have balconies and, at penthouse level, the apartments have substantial roof gardens.

There is also a separate communal roof garden.

There should be a good mix of people attracted to Cedar Square because of the mix of types on offer - 15 three-bed units, 15 one-beds and 44 two-bed - so small families, as well as young first-time buying professionals, should find something that suits.

Parking is underground, with the three-bed units being allocated two car-parking spaces, the rest, a single one.

There is also underground storage units for each of the larger apartments.

The builder is the award-winning MKN Property Group.

The joint selling agents for this new phase of Cedar Square are Hooke & MacDonald and Morton & Flanagan. Show apartments are on view from today and over the weekend.