A new village-style scheme being built on the outskirts of Portlaoise is opening its first showhouses this weekend. Prices start at £135,000 and rise to £267,000 for a wide array of house types and sizes, distributed at random around the development. There will be 49 three-bedroom up to five-bedroom houses on offer in this phase.

Joint agents for the Kilminchy scheme are Coonan New Homes of Maynooth and Andrew J. Nolan & Company of Kilcullen. Kilminchy is the creation of builder Jim McDonald of Redlodge Homes. Originally a 150-acre farm, the village will have about 800 houses, a nursing home, local shopping centre, creche, tennis courts and bowling green. A central focus of the landscaping will be three lakes connected by waterfalls.

For sale this weekend are two 2,600 sq ft three-storey Georgian-style houses for £267,000; three 2,100 sq ft three-storey houses with Dutch gables for £250,000; nine two-storey four/five bedroom houses measuring from 1,850 to 2,700 sq ft and costing from £200,000; five 1,200 sq ft three-bedroom dormer cottages at £135,000; three 1,335 sq ft four-bedroom traditional bungalows at £150,000 and one 1,750 sq ft traditional-style detached bungalow with five bedrooms for £185,000. There are also six three-storey dormer houses of 1,825 sq ft costing £215,000 and 20 four-bedroom detached houses measuring 1,480 to 1,700 sq ft from £165,000 to £230,000.

A typical three-bedroom cottage-style house costing from £135,000 has three dormer windows in the steeply-pitched roof. There is an open-plan sitting/ diningroom and a separate kitchen at ground floor level. Two double bedrooms, one en suite, and a single are upstairs. Double-fronted four and fivebedroom detached houses are priced from £150,000 to £267,500. Most of these have family rooms and the dearer ones include a study and integral garage.