Home with a view comes with bonus granny flat

HIGH up on the hills overlooking the wide plains of Cork's river Lee at Carrigrohane is this decidedly architectural property at Templehill.

This steep neighbourhood might be remembered as the place where Roy Keane once went a-viewing and as an address, it's as elevated as it's geography. The area has a number of large residences, and a surprisingly high density of architect, owner-occupiers.

Like the rest of the green belt, planning is restricted, so prices are directly affected and also pushed up by demand from medics and academics.

It's been three years since the so-called 'big, yellow house' on Temple Hill was sold for close on €2 million and now, there's the opportunity to buy its neighbour.

Malcolm Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing and Associates is selling this 2,329 square foot property which also comes with an extra 450 square foot of granny flat: offers in the region of €650,000 are being sought.

Built into the hillside, this property has some of the best views in the city, and while it's in need of some modernisation, it's a strongly-built house with a concrete first floor, something which was very advanced for its time. It also has floor to ceiling, box bay windows on the first floor and wraparound windows in the living room.

Built to be totally adaptable, the house can be divided into two distinct units, top and bottom, with two separate entrance points.

Right now it functions as a single, family home, with the bones of six bedrooms, two large reception rooms, a kitchen and three, multi-function rooms. Then, there's the granny flat, which comes with an en suite bedroom and open plan living room.

A garden shed and storehouse is also included and best of all, the house has a swimming pool, now however, buried under the patio.