Foxrock village finds favour as developers start to circle

At the height of the Celtic Tiger, Foxrock was one of the most coveted addresses for developers due to its stock of period houses on large plots, ripe for redevelopment. The €31 million achieved for Gortanore, a house in the village, was among the most daring acquisitions by developers vying to build high-end apartments in the desirable suburb.

The property market’s crash brought a swift end to ambitions for such developments, but it seems that economic recovery has revived developers’ appetites for Foxrock village once more, with a number of high-profile redevelopments planned, and plenty more inevitably on the way as a swathe of homes suitable for redevelopment and potential sites have hit the market.

Perhaps the most notable development proposed is at Clonbur, located in the heart of the village – directly across from the Gables restaurant. The house was acquired for €2 million in 2016 by Greencroft Construction, who now hope to redevelop the site as eight spacious luxury townhouses, each 266sq m to 303sq m in size and three to four storeys high. The same company was associated with another development on nearby Claremont Road in recent times.

Luxury apartments

Nearby, Weaver's Hall, the lavish home of the late Liam Maye, is set to be demolished and redeveloped by his daughter Emma and her husband Alan Hegarty, who head up the Ardale Property Group. If plans are granted, the 2.81 acre compound will become home to a 10,507sq m (113,000sq ft) block containing 50 luxury apartments, along with one luxurious 205sq m detached two-bed bungalow.

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As Weaver’s Hall is approached via Plunkett Avenue, a narrow lane, the proposed new development will be accessed through Hainault Park, where an adjoining detached house was acquired in recent months for €1.125 million and will be demolished. Ever since Weaver’s Hall was acquired for just over IR£1 million in 1996, it was expected to be redeveloped as a large-scale housing development, however the Mayes opted to build just one large Paul Brazil-designed mansion instead.

As development returns to Foxrock village, there are no fewer than eight sites and houses suitable for redevelopment now on the market on exclusive Brighton Road alone. When coupled with the substantial Brighton Wood scheme, currently being developed by Castlethorn, it seems that Brighton Road is likely set for significant changes in coming years. Other Foxrock addresses, such as Golf Lane, Leopardstown Road and Stillorgan Road have also been identified by developers, with large period homes a target for demolition to make way for more dense housing schemes