Maynooth scheme near Carton House has ecological approach

The parklands around Carton House in Kildare were once considered to be among the country’s finest Georgian grounds. The house, built by Richard Cassels in 1739 for the Earl of Kildare, is now a luxury hotel, and the estate is home to a golf course and high-end houses.

Developments that have been built around the land for the last two decades include Leinster Wood, Limetree Hall and Carton Wood. The main attraction for buyers of these properties has been location. With Carton House and its vast grounds as a backdrop, residents have a mile-long tree-lined walkway that links the hotel with Maynooth village.

The latest development in the area is Linden Demesne. Cairn Homes is building the homes on an 18-acre site that is surrounded by woodland. The goal is for the scheme to achieve a top score for ecology under the Home Performance Index. To reach this goal, the developer is putting a lot of work into the surrounding environment.

An old stone quarry beside the development, that now has a plantation of mature pine and larch trees, is being reimagined as a natural parkland, with a new layer of native oaks, birch and pines being added. It will also include nesting boxes for birds and dry-stone walling for roosting bats.

The back gardens in the houses will be planted with native trees. Front gardens will be planted with hedging and garden beds will have a mix of pollinator-friendly flowers. According to landscape architect and urban designer Daibhí Mac Domhnaill, the scheme has been designed to take full advantage of its natural setting.

The scheme will have a choice of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes. In this phase there are three-beds that measure between 1,249 sq ft to 1,270 sq ft and are priced from €485,000; and four-bed houses with a floor area of 1,550 sq ft and a starting price of €580,000.

The outside of the houses are a mix of brickwork with granite stone window surrounds. Inside there are well-proportioned rooms with extra height ceilings on the ground floor. The kitchens will be fitted with Shaker-style units with quartz worktops. Each home comes with an A2 energy rating thanks to the high-performance windows, airtight insulation and air-to-water heat pump system.

Viewings by appointment tomorrow and Sunday between 10am and 12pm through joint agents Hooke & MacDonald (01) 631 8402 and Coonan New Homes (01) 628 6128.

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