If you do like to be beside the seaside – or even down by the river – then Ballymore’s new coastal development in Bray, Co Wicklow, could be the perfect place to hang your sun hat. Sea Gardens is a large, ambitious project that covers more than 16 hectares (40 acres) adjacent to Bray Harbour and along the Dargle river; when complete, it will comprise 1,200 homes with views out to the sea and the Wicklow Mountains, along with more than three hectares (nine acres) of open spaces for parks, playgrounds, sports areas, a market square, riverside walk, coastal gardens and an orchard.
The first phase of Sea Gardens is being launched on Thursday, with three-bedroom houses starting at €625,000, four-beds from €800,000, two-bed apartments starting at €475,000 and three-bedroom duplexes from €550,000.
The house styles are all named after sea creatures, but Ballymore has taken the coastal theme to a different level here. The exterior finish of the houses takes its inspiration from nearby Martello Terrace, a grand row of Victorian houses at the north end of the promenade in Bray where James Joyce once lived as a child, and which has also been home in its time to film director Neil Jordan and singer Mary Coughlan. The pastel-coloured facades of this historic seaside terrace have been replicated in the exteriors of the Sea Gardens homes, which are all rendered in contrasting pastel colours, and that theme has been expanded in the imaginative interior designs. The decor is fresh as a summer breeze, from the pink-hued kitchens in the two-bed apartment to the teals and blues of the three- and four-bedroomed houses, and the terrazzo tiling in the bathrooms.
The four-bedroom houses are a generous 169sq m (1,819sq ft) set over three storeys, with a spacious entrance hallway with extra room for a seated area under the stairs. The livingroom has a bay window looking out to the front, and the guest toilet has lovely green-striped floor tiles. The kitchen/family area spans the back of the house, with full-length sliding doors leading to the back garden. The kitchen is decorated in a coastal blue, with quartz worktops, tiled splashback, fully fitted Neff oven, extractor fan, integrated fridge/freezer and integrated dishwasher. There’s also a very handy concealed pantry and a large utility room off the kitchen.
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The first floor has two large double bedrooms, one with en suite and both with built-in wardrobes, and there’s a study to the front which can be used as a home office, homework station or kids’ playroom. Or all three. The family bathroom has feature wall tiling, bespoke wall-mounted mirror and vanity cabinet, and the hot-press is big enough to store all the family linen.
The principal bedroom is on the second floor, and runs right across the front, with two large window, with a roomy en suite with double wash-hand basin and double-sized shower. The fourth bedroom – also a large double – is to the back, and the large landing has ample space for another study or work-from-home station.
The three-beds are mid-terrace and laid out over two storeys. Downstairs there’s a livingroom, guest toilet, kitchen-family room and utility room. Upstairs, the principal bedroom is to the back, with double windows and en suite, and to the front there’s another double and a single. The stairs run up the centre of the house with walls on each side to give a sense of privacy to the upstairs area.
The two-bedroom show apartment is on a single storey, and is 92sq m (990sq ft), but has its own back garden, making it feel like a small house. This would be perfect for a couple with a new baby, as there are no stairs to negotiate, but still enough space for toddlers to run around safely. There are extra storage areas off the bedrooms, and the main bedroom to the back has an en suite.
The three-bedroom show duplex is 131sq m (1,410sq ft) and has an attractive feature: its own wraparound terrace, with superb, panoramic views out to the sea and to the Wicklow Mountains. The entrance is up a short flight of exterior steps, and from the lobby it’s another short flight of wide interior steps into the main hallway, making for a bit of a grand entrance. The first floor has kitchen/family room with doors opening on the terrace, giving it a Continental feel, and there’s a generous livingroom and a guest toilet. Upstairs are two double bedrooms with dual aspect, the main bedroom with an en suite, plus a single bedroom, a family bathroom and a large linen room.
Sea Gardens is right next door to Coláiste Raithín Gaeilscoil, and there are numerous other schools in the area, including Ravenswell Primary School, St Gerard’s, St Andrew’s, Presentation College Bray, Woodbrook College and Loreto Secondary Bray. The harbour is just around the corner, where you can get a great coffee at Dockyard No 8 and sit and look out at the swans in the harbour. The Dart station is right next to the harbour, and it’s just a 40-minute trip in to Dublin city centre. You can walk on the promenade in Bray, up Bray Head and along the cliff path to Greystones.
With Dublin becoming too pricey, many young families are looking to make the move to Bray where they can enjoy the seaside life, but still be within reach of the city, and Sea Gardens might just provide the picture-postcard home by the sea.
