Tudor Homes, the developer at Olcovar, a new suburban scheme at Shankill, Dublin 18, has in addition uprooted a number of younger trees from their original positions and replanted them elsewhere on the site.
But this is not a case of property developers turning tree-huggers overnight, as the motivation behind Olcovar’s “established” feel is less to do with an eco-warrior philosophy and more to do with tapping into what will sell best in an ever-toughening market.
“When a site looks mature, it looks better. And the better it looks, the better it sells. It’s vital to get it right,” says David Brown, of the selling agents Sherry FitzGerald.
As the balance in the new-homes sector is increasingly tipping in favour of the buyer, savvy house-hunters have come to expect more. They want the surroundings to look as good as the interior. Landscaping is no longer an extra.
“More and more builders are into the idea of finishing a scheme properly, rather than just leaving a green space. Many now landscape automatically without being asked by an agent,” says Brown.
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Whatever the reason, green-minded buyers should be happy. Many of Olcovar’s trees are more than 100 years old. The perimeter of the site was an existing 25-year-old development. Old red oak trees were cordoned off to protect them from damage and a number of buildings were removed at the planning stage in order to retain trees.
“Usually a developer would rip all the trees out of a site and start again, but here they kept as many as they could,” says Brown.
“You can’t buy that feeling of approaching a scheme lined with big old trees. A new site is usually very sparse, and particularly when there are modern, contemporary lines to the building, mature trees soften the look. Many new schemes sell from the plans, but here, buyers can see in advance what they are getting. Huge money has been invested in the landscaping.”
The communal areas are partly lawned, and also have plated areas, decking and cobble- locked zones.
The 230-unit scheme is made up of one- and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplexes. The two-bedroom apartments start at 700 sq ft and have en-suite bathrooms off the master bedroom. A number of the two-beds have their own front door. An end-of-terrace, three-bed duplex measures 1,100 sq ft and comes with an en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom and attic storage. All the properties have either a patio or balcony.
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The interior specifications are of a relatively high standard, more like those in city schemes than in suburban commuter developments.
The look of the units is minimalist and clean-lined. Designer touches include German Pronorm kitchens, glass sinks in the bathrooms, Riva electric feature fires, heated towel rails, granite counter tops and lots of chrome.
Shankill village has undergone a transformation in the past two years. Much of the village has been paved and pedestrianised and transport links are improving. But there are few other new developments.
“The last was an apartment block called the Bridge, which when released a year ago completely sold out. So there’s been a real lack of affordable properties, particularly for first-time buyers and those trading down,” says Brown.
In its first week on the market earlier this month, 90 of Olcovar’s 230 properties were sold, mainly to first-time buyers and people trading down.
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Most first-timers, however, are likely to go for the one-bed apartments, which start at €315,000. Two-beds at Olcovar are €360,000 and upwards, two-bed own-door apartments are from €390,000 and the three-bed duplexes cost from €445,000.
Olcovar, for sale through Sherry FitzGerald New Homes, 01 667 1888; www.olcovar.com