War set to hit sale plans for mansion
The property boasts:
Its own swimming pool.
400 acres.
Three miles of river frontage.
The successful completion of a restoration project which returned the 200-year-old house, grounds and buildings to their former glory.
More than 150,000 new trees planted.
Enhanced walled gardens.
Gate lodges, an approach bridge, a boating jetty and a thatched boathouse.
Despite its many attractive features, Ballynatray House in Waterford, with a price tag of €12m, may be on the market for some time.
The sales agents for this enviable Blackwater package, William Montgomery of Sothebys and Ganly Walters, agreed the March 20 sales launch with the owners Serge and Henriette Boussevain weeks ago knowing there was a chance war could be afoot.
Despite rumours of a sale, denied up to last week, full-time staff at the estate were only officially told yesterday the Boissevains were again on the move.
Having scoured Europe for a suitable estate with water frontage, they had bought Ballynatray “on its last legs” according to one conservation expert. It sold at the time for about £1.5m.
The Boissevains are said to be keen to take on another major challenge, with no destination yet settled on.
The couple, Serge and wealthy industrial heiress Henriette Boissevain, bought Ballynatray in 1995 when it was offered on more than 1,000 acres, and engaged with Waterford County Council and conservation architects to restore and secure the historic property owned by the Ponsonby family and built originally by Grice Smyth, who inherited the estate by descent from the Earl of Cork Richard Boyle.
Although restored to a precise plan agreed with Waterford County Council, the wealthy French owners got permission to make modern adjustments, such as putting in a swimming pool in the annex basement, installing an engine room of a heating system, and the layout of rooms has also been changed from the original.
Their Blackwater river neighbour Michael Flatley was less lucky. His plans for a new front entrance for his Castle Hyde home were flatly turned down by An Bord Pleanála.
Despite the timing of the sale, the reality is that such internationally acclaimed estates take a long time to find new owners.
Similar multi-million euro properties in Munster like the 600-acre O’Brien estate at Newmarket on Fergus beside Dromoland and Liss Ard in Skibbereen are on the market since last year, with prices of €10m and €6m.
The chill winds of an international recession and stock market downturns means the potential pool of buyers for such a property is shrinking. But the Exchequer will be expecting its cut from whichever lucky multi-millionaire snaps up this prime property.
Such a house is expected to be subject to 9% stamp duty, which will see Government coffers boosted by around €1m.
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