Penthouse with privacy in heart of D4

Ballsbridge Gardens, an apartment development built in the mid-1990s by G&T Crampton, is tucked away off Shelbourne Road in a private, gated development of 48 units.

Number 23, on sale through Gunne with an asking price of €975,000, is one of the largest of the bunch, measuring 167sq m (1,800sq ft) – and that’s before you count the attic conversion, accessed via a spiral staircase from the living area.

The living area is the first thing you see upon entering the apartment, which is on the fourth and top floor of the block, accessed via a high-security lock, installed by previous tenants to amp up security.

It seems a little excessive, given the electronic gates outside the development and the locked door into the building, but it does give an extra air of privacy and exclusivity to the large two-bedroom apartment.

The living area opens on to a west-facing balcony, which has views out towards Dublin Bay, over the Sweepstakes development and looking on to the Aviva Stadium to the north. Inside, there is a gas fire.

The dining area is to the rear. It is divided by the aforementioned spiral staircase, which leads up to a low-ceilinged attic conversion, used currently as a combination of guest bedroom and extra storage.

Back downstairs, there is a cupboard in the hall with hanging space, en route to the kitchen, which has marble surfaces and maple Shaker kitchen units. There are both gas and electric hobs, and the kitchen opens on to the second balcony, this time east-facing, towards the city.

Beyond the kitchen is the main bathroom, the only room in the house without natural light, but which benefits from ample storage and has a bath.

The master bedroom, to the rear, is a large room with high ceilings and one full wall of wardrobes, some of which are two rails deep. It is en suite, too, with a Jacuzzi bath.

The second bedroom, between the master and the living area, is a good size and also has fitted wardrobes, in the solid cherrywood that runs through the apartment in the main doors and cupboards.

In a way, number 23 is a throwback to times of yore: hovering around the €1 million mark with all mod cons, surround sound and solid wooden doors, but the location will definitely be a draw for prospective buyers.