Located on the north side of Drogheda, which is now the State’s largest town, Usher’s Mill is the latest development from Castlethorn Construction, a company who developed nearby Ballymakenny Park. With more than 200 properties sold to date, 100 new homes at Ballymakenny Park are now occupied in the development.
Recently launched was the first phase of Usher’s Mill with the release of 43 homes including three- and four-bedroom houses. As it stands there are 27 three-bedroom houses priced from €355,000 available and 16 four-bedroom houses priced from €415,000.
In the mix are the Laurence house type: three-bedroom mid- and end-terrace houses extending to 92sq m (990sq ft); the Rokeby: three-bedroom midterrace houses extending to 104sq m (1,119sq ft); and the Slane: four-bedroom end-terrace and semidetached houses extending to 120sq m (1,290sq ft).
Taking its name from the town’s prestigious mill from when it had a thriving linen industry in the mid-1800s, the Usher’s Mill development was designed by award-winning architects O’Mahony Pike. Centred around a primary east-west avenue, which will connect with Ballmakenny Loop Road, it sits just off the Twenties Roundabout on the newly-opened Port Access Northern Cross Route, a 4km route which is “set to revolutionise the landscape of Drogheda”, according to Louth county council’s cathaoirleach Paula Butterly earlier this year.
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Twenty years in the making, the route is set to streamline commuter times thereby enhancing connectivity and accessibility, and is set to facilitate 5,000 new homes in the area.
In terms of commuting, local bus and train stations are about an eight-minute drive from the development, whereas the commute to Dublin by car is estimated to take about 50 minutes and Belfast an hour and 15 minutes. Its location offers a plethora of schools, sports and recreational facilities in addition to shopping and retail facilities.
High-performance double-glazed windows, superior levels of insulation, a heat pump and air-tight membranes give A2-energy ratings, and all homes with curtilage parking are wired for electric charging on cobble-locked driveways.
Besides the area the main difference between the three-bedroom houses (besides size) is the Laurence type has its kitchen to the centre of the house with the living area overlooking the back garden and the dining area overlooking the front. The larger three-bed Rokeby, meanwhile, has kitchens to the rear with a livingroom to the front. The four-bedroom Slane has a similar layout downstairs except it has two doubles and two single bedrooms upstairs.
In addition all homes qualify for the Help to Buy scheme, while a good selection of the properties qualify for the First Home scheme, and houses will be ready for occupancy from mid-2025.
Sherry FitzGerald New Homes and Sherry FitzGerald Lannon are handling the sale of this phase of the scheme that has now been released to the market.