Delgany village was one of those secret locations, just inland from Greystones that those in the know visited from Dublin. But the pandemic has seen a flight of city slickers looking for more green space and a better quality of life from which to hybrid work, say two days in the office, the other three at home. Colm Byrne, director of new homes at SherryFitzGerald, says this is reflected in the spike in demand for four-bedroom homes in particular, which he says has never been higher.
Archers Wood, on the edge of Delgany village, ticks all of these boxes. It is one of two new schemes in Co Wicklow that Cairn Homes PLC has under construction.
Located west of its now sold-out Glenheron development in Charlesland, it will comprise about 426 homes and includes 4½ hectacres of green space and almost another 2½ hectares of greenway along the Three Trouts river, which bounds the site. The estate will also have its own playgrounds and full-size playing fields so kids can run down the road to training and matches.
It launched quietly earlier this year when 20 homes were sold off-plans and virtually. The housebuilder is now bringing the first 30 units to market, a mix of three- and four-bedroom houses that range from 119 sq m (1,280sq ft) to 141sq m (1,518sq ft). Prices for these two-storey houses start from €470,000 for the three-beds and from €550,000 for the four-beds through joint agents SherryFitzGerald and Kelly Walsh Property Advisors.
For parents of young children there are seven primary schools in the area to choose from as well as four secondary schools including Temple Carrig, St David’s Holy Faith and SEK International School.
Designed by local practice BBA Architecture, the houses have red roofs, inspired by the arts and crafts period homes in Delgany and Greystones. These are made of concrete rather than terracotta but are very convincing. The gables of the end-of-terrace properties are lined in red brick and all window surrounds are granite.
Rated A2, the houses are sizeable and give families looking for more space plenty of room to grow. Each has a separate living room and kitchen, as well as a utility big enough to hide a clotheshorse full of drying clothes and the dog’s bed.
The estate has been master landscaped by Sap, which has also planted the showhome gardens and it includes plenty of young trees including Scots pine, of which there are several mature specimens.
The three-bedroom end-of-terrace house is particularly notable. In its living room the box bay window has been turned into a window seat, one of several smart ideas by show house decorator Moya Farrell of Avenue Interior Design, and executed by Ray Shannon. It’s a really good use of the space and gives additional seating when you need it. The room is decorated in soft neutrals in natural fabrics, from the sound-dimming, linen-mix Casamance wallpaper to the soft taupes, greys and oatmeals. “It’s homey but it’s a refined homey,” she explains. “The brief was to keep it neutral and to reflect the local landscape.”
The kitchen features dark schist grey units by Nolan Kitchens with stone-coloured Silestone counters and mainly Neff appliances.
The garden comes with a seeded lawn, a refreshing change from artificial turf and even the mid-terrace units feel very private. This style also comes with a bin box to the front to keep these unsightly essentials out of sight.
Ceilings at ground level are 2.6m high, and about 2.5m on the first floor.
The main bedroom in the three-bedroom units extends the width of the house and includes built-in wardrobes and a shower en suite. This is internal in the mid-terrace houses.
Of the four-bedroom styles, the gable-end homes are the most impressive. The brick-fronted houses have black steel Edwardian-style railings and are double-fronted with kitchens and living rooms large and dual aspect.
The beach is a handy four-minute drive and spectacular mountain walks are 15 minutes by car.
