An affordable development
The scheme, Lakeside, is a few hundred yards off the main Cork to Clonakilty road in West Cork, by the village of Ballinscarthy, the birthplace of Henry Ford, the modern motoring industry pioneer.
Henry Ford left Ireland for the US as a child and went on to make his fame, fortune and to leave a legacy of Fiestas and Focuses to the world.
His birthplace Ballinsacarthy remembers him fondly, and last year commemorated the link by the installation of a full-size Model T replica made of stainless steel on the side of the N71 passing through the village.
Just commencing construction a few hundred yards away, on a side road route towards a small lake, is a project of six detached c 2,100 sq ft homes, on sites of a third of an acre.
Prices are 250,000 each, working out at 119 per square foot. “That’a lot cheaper than you’d pay for the same sized new house in Bandon or Clonakilty, the prices are very attractive,” says estate agent Barry Nagle of Global Properties, in the driving seat when it comes to these house sales.
Old Henry Ford would presumably approve of the fact the houses’ new owners will be car drivers and likely to face commutes either of four miles a day to Clonakilty or 45 minutes back to Cork city - although there’s a regular bus service passing through Ballinascarthy, which has its own community centre, shop and pub.
Amenities nearby include pool and gym in Clonakilty, cinema, bars, restaurants, beaches, surfing, fishing, horse riding and walks.
The houses at Lake Side (the name’s a bit fanciful, but Lake Proximity doesn’t have the same ring to it) will have twin two-storey bay windows and a stepped back porch, and accomodation includes five bedrooms, one en suite and another at ground level, two spacious reception rooms with the dining area leading directly to the kitchen.
