Dawn of €1m house

MISSISSIPI meets the mud-flats of the Shannon Estuary. Even though it may be 90 years since independence, these Antebellum mansions at Cratloe in Co Clare, could almost be called post-Colonial.

At a million euro a pop, they represent the coming of age of this country these behemoths are the successor to the modest two-storey house.

This exclusive new scheme, abutting the state forest, Cratloe Woods, will have just seven detached houses in a gated development and already two have been sold off the plans.

Launched last week through Des O'Malley of Sherry FitzGerald O'Malley, these huge houses start at €850,000 and peak at a cool €1 million: sizes range from 3,000 to 3,500 square feet.

And what's also remarkable, apart from the design and the price guide, is that Mr O'Malley is quite sanguine about selling these houses.

"It's really difficult to get good quality properties in Limerick," he says, "and ideally, these will suit professionals particularly in the Shannon region, as the location is half-way between the town and Limerick city. It's also just a mile and a half off the motorway and would be very familiar to people who come to the woods to walk."

Developed by landowner, Roger O'Mahony, the scheme will be a dispersed collection of houses which will blend into the surrounding woodland, says designer Noel Connellan of Conellan and Summers Architects.

"It's been a challenging brief, but it's been nice to get the time to design a project on this scale", he says. "There won't be the immediate impact of a housing estate here, the first five houses will be on a windy road and the two houses on the left hand side won't be seen, they'll be camouflaged by trees."

Each house will have new plantings to blend with the old, he says, and the estate will cover an area of nine acres, with over two acres of green space.

Boundary walls will only be built at the entrance, adds Mr Connellan, with environmentally friendly fencing around the perimeter of the site that will allow lawns to blend into the tree line and which will be obscured over time.

As to the houses themselves, most will have signature turret style incorporated into the design, but each house will be completely different in layout. Limestone quoins and porticos will be incorporated into the build and the interior architecture is a moveable feast, says Mr Connellan.

They are prepared to give whatever level of finish the client requires and there are generous PC sums for the kitchen and other fittings.

However, they are offering a fully finished product and hope to do this to a high level. Depending on the overall costs, the main entrance roads will have cobbled, rather than asphalt surface and all hard-landscaping, including lots of new trees, will be completed.

All of the houses will have a minimum of four bedrooms and all will come ensuite: sunrooms and conservatories are included and external and internal joinery will be to the specifications of the purchaser. Ceilings will also be 9' high.

The builders for Cratloe Wood are Super Quality Construction and each house will be of traditional block.