New homes: Space and light on old HB site

Hazelbrook Square was once the site of the HB ice cream plant in Nutgrove, producer of a range of ice-creams that were synonymous with childhood in Ireland. The plant, which was located in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, closed in 2003 with the loss of 170 jobs.

Back then, Hazelbrook Farm, from which the acronym HB is derived (although the firm was originally owned by Hughes Brothers so the acronym worked in both respects), had a Rathfarnham address as indeed nearby Nutgrove Shopping Centre still does. But Hazelbrook Square has a Churchtown address not the Rathfarnham address of old advertising and the Good Shepherd National School located across the road from the development is also listed as being in Churchtown.

The estate, on Whitehall Road, was partially developed by Capel with apartments first launched off-plan in 2008. The original plan was for a high density development, but following Simon Coyle from Mazar's appointment as receiver by NAMA, a lower density planning permission incorporated a mix of three and four bedroom houses which when finished will comprise 69 homes.

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Following on from Diswellstown Manor on Porterstown Road in Castleknock which was managed by receiver Deloitte and launched last October, Hazelbrook is the second residential development scheme by NAMA.

The properties are being sold by agents SherryFitzGerald, with the building work done by the Carey Group to designs by architect firm Brazil & Associates, a practice that has a strong reputation for one-off family home refurbishment.

And it is that family home market that the 25 houses launched today are aimed at. Eleven of these will be three- bedroom properties ranging in size from mid-terrace houses of 117sq m/1,260sq ft to end-of- terrace properties of 130sq m/ 1,400sq ft. Prices will range from €450,000 to €475,000.

The remaining 14 properties will be four-beds, and will range in size from 155sq m/ 1,668sq ft to 198sq m 2,130sq ft. Prices will range from €575,000 to €695,000. The four-bedroom houses have an open-plan kitchen-cum-dining and family room to the rear which opens out to the garden.

A kitchen of painted units and Velstone countertops by Kitchen Elegance is included in the price, as are the integrated appliances: a Zanussi dishwasher, hob, and double oven and an Electrolux fridge freezer. The houses have a utility room but these appliances are not included. Nor is flooring.

Formal sittingrooms

There is a formal sittingroom to the front, which features an electric wall-mounted heater and a deep box bay window. In the four-bedroom design this room is dual aspect, which is a welcome consideration.

In the four-bedroom houses, three of the bedrooms are on the first floor with the master, complete with shower en suite, housed in the room upstairs with the box bay window. All the bedrooms feel bright and spacious. In contrast, the family bathroom is an internal room with no window.

The fourth bedroom is located on the second floor and has a nice window nook and is the second of the four bedrooms to have an en suite bathroom.

The ceiling heights – 2.65m at ground floor level, are good and contribute to the sense of space.