Large, detached home in Greenfields

THE gardens are at least the equal of the house at number 31, Fernwalk. This large, one-off family home in a scheme of detached houses in Greenfields, west of Cork city, has a cracking good site, a third of an acre, planted with precision.

Even in these early spring weeks, you can sense what’s ready to burst into colour and life here — and, with years under their feet and roots, these plants are only going to get bigger, better and go on giving. The family that built this well-planned, 2,400 sq ft family home, nine years ago, are on the move to a new home coming close to completion, so they’re getting set to uproot themselves.

Greenfields, just off the Ballincollig by-pass, is a scheme that met the needs of families hoping to build their own homes in the past decade, but at a time when the county council wasn’t keen to grant permission for one-offs. This compromise meant individuality could shine through, but in an ordered, well-regulated fashion. It’s been a huge success, and it means families were reared with children of the same age to play with, just around the corner, a community forged.