New homes from €500,000 in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains

Nestled in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains, and surrounded by parks, woodlands and playing fields, Laurel Manor is a new development of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes on Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham, close to the M50 and within a short distance of Knocklyon and Rathfarnham village. Built by Rosemount Properties, the development of 24 units will be launched this weekend (Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st), comprising eight two-beds, eight three-beds and eight four-beds. The two- and three-beds are all mid-terrace houses, while the four-beds are all end-of-terrace.

Agent DNG New Homes is handling the sale of these modern, high-end homes with interesting design features and finishes. The two-bed type E houses measure 88sq m (947sq ft) and are priced from €500,000, while the three-bed type D houses are 102sq m (1,095sq ft) with an asking price starting at €590,000. There two styles of four-bed: type B measures 135sq m (1,457sq ft) and is asking €720,000, while type A extends to 144sq m (1,555sq ft) with side entry, and is priced from €750,000.

The first half of the scheme is scheduled to be built before the end of the year, according to the agent, while the entire scheme is due to be completed within the first quarter of 2024.

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Laurel Manor is built on the site of the old Garretstown House on Stocking Lane, and the original granite walls wrap around the development, giving a sense of privacy. The houses are finished to a high standard, with high ceilings downstairs to add a sense of space and an emphasis on bringing light into each house.

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Entering the four-bedroomed type B showhouse, it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into maximising the available area and creating a practical living space for a growing family to feel right at home. Look closer and you’ll find some nice interior touches that lift the house above the ordinary, such as the Calacatta gold marble worktops in the kitchen, high-quality dual-colour subway-style tiling in the bathrooms and en suites, and the well-crafted internal joinery, such as the hardwood handrail on the stairs.

Outside, the facades are done in high-quality brick and render, with some windows having reconstituted stone surrounds. All the windows are uPVC high-performance double glazing, while the front door is made from engineered timber with a multi-point locking system.

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Downstairs, the kitchen/diningroom is equipped for high-speed broadband, with TV connection and data points in the livingroom, kitchen/diningroom and main bedroom, while the infrastructure allows for Siro and Virgin Media to be installed. A heat-recovery ventilation system (HRV) keeps the house constantly warm while keeping the air fresh, extracting the stale air and transferring the heat to the livingroom and bedrooms, saving up to 90 per cent of what would otherwise be lost energy. The houses have a highly energy-efficient A3 BER rating.

Downstairs, the contemporary kitchen/diningroom has fully integrated appliances, including dishwasher, cooker and full-length larder fridge and freezer. The luxurious-looking Calacatta worktop has a “waterfall” effect at the end, making it appear to flow down to the floor, and there’s an additional “coffee dock” feature in the four-bed: a cabinet on the worktop housing all your coffee-making facilities which can be easily closed over for neatness. There’s also a separate utility room.

Upstairs, the bedrooms all have excellent built-in wardrobe storage. There are two bedrooms to the back, and one large bedroom to the front with en suite. On the second floor is the main bedroom suite, with large en suite and a cleverly concealed walk-in wardrobe with plenty of room for clothes storage and to do your make-up. The en suite shower has a nice additional feature: two large, colourful stone-effect tiles that give it an extra design element. In the bedroom is a raised seating area under the front window, with lots of eaves storage on both sides.

Laurel Manor is close to the M50 and within easy reach of Rathfarnham, Terenure, Rathgar and Churchtown, with Dundrum Town Centre 6.8km away. Bus routes are close by to bring you into Dublin city centre, and the Luas green line stops at Windy Arbour and Balally are also readily accessible.

There is no shortage of good schools in the vicinity, including St Colmcille’s Community School, Edmondstown National School, Sancta Maria College, Rockbrook Park School and St Columba’s College. What makes Laurel Manor a particularly attractive prospect for young families, however, is its proximity to Marlay Park and St Enda’s Park, with all the amenities needed for healthy outdoor activity. The area is a haven for families who enjoy the outdoors, with numerous woodland walks, including trails up to the Hellfire Club, Massey’s Wood and Ticknock Forest.