Old meets new on Cross Avenue in Blackrock

Home to some of the largest modern homes built in Dublin in the last decade, Blackrock’s Cross Avenue is no stranger to new construction.

The Hermitage is one of the road's finest period homes, with 520sq m of space and 1.5 acres of park-like grounds. The owner of the 19th-century property, a doctor and founder of some of the country's best-known private hospitals, including nearby Blackrock Clinic, purchased the vast property in 1978. Now he has been granted permission to construct a new home in the grounds, and his newly married son will move into the main house.

A new 278sq m detached dormer bungalow will be constructed on part of the garden currently occupied by a tennis court. The owners do not plan to construct a physical boundary between the two houses, however the new house has been designed in a manner that will facilitate the subdivision of the gardens in the future should they choose to sell the houses.

The home will be traditional in appearance, incorporating natural slate, stone and timber to complement the site’s existing features, including its granite walls and abundance of mature trees.

Meanwhile, to the east of The Hermitage, recently lodged plans for another house are far from traditional.

In 2014, a 1960s property known as The Orchard came up for auction with an AMV of €1.6 million. It sold for a much higher €2.2 million to a Sandyford-based couple who are awaiting a decision on their planning application to demolish the existing residence in order to construct a more energy-efficient contemporary mansion.

The ultra-modern flat-roofed house will extend to an impressive 468sq m to include multiple reception rooms, five bedrooms and five bathrooms. Compared with the existing 248sq m home’s G BER rating, the new home will be built to Passivhaus construction standards and is likely to achieve an A2 BER rating.

Thanks to the large 0.63-acre site, the new house will also enjoy magnificent gardens, with mostly southerly and westerly aspects.