House for all seasons

WHETHER or not 1,200 new homes planned for the Glanmire area of Cork come to pass in the medium or in longer term, the big family home, Ashbrooke House, will remain outstanding in its is own field in any case, on its really great gardens.

The 1990s home, extended now to 2,800 sq ft, is by the historic entrance to the completed Woodville estate on the rural edge of the commuter community east of Cork city. Land below and bounding this house’s 0.9 acre site was to include walkways and amenities for the major 1,200 new home O’Flynn Construction proposal for Dunkathel/Ballinglanna – but this was very strongly rejected last week by Bord Pleanala as “premature”, on foot of NRA objections pending road improvements –developer Michael O’Flynn is considering a judicial review, given the county council’s zoning, and two grants of planning on it.

Ashbrooke House’s strength (apart from the gardens) is its great location, just up from the main Dublin/Waterford roads above the Jack Lynch tunnel and above Glanmire’s amenities and services too, and its grounds are completely quiet, pastoral, and private.

Estate agent Jarleth Boyd of Savills listed Ashbrooke in late July/early August at €950,000, with the gardens designed by Brian Cross in their prime: unfortunately, given the holiday period timing, viewings weren’t as strong as expected and now, with the autumn upon us, the gardens are turing russet with the seasons.

The big four-bed detached and wholly-private house has been recent extended, and a wet-room bathroom was also installed – it’s a retreat, says Mr Boyd.