Cardy rock, Balbriggan? - Mod Warning Post #26

Mance Rayder

I have an opportunity ot move from my inner city apartment to a cardy rock townhouse in Balbriggan. I want to Escape the noise and anti social behaviour of Dublins inner city.

Would I be making a mistake?
would I be moving out of the frying pan and into the fire? Or is it ok?
Would like to hear from residents if possible.
Thanks.

See Mod Warning in Post #26.

Duzzer

CiscoStudent wrote: »

I have an opportunity ot move from my inner city apartment to a cardy rock townhouse in Balbriggan. I want to Escape the noise and anti social behaviour of Dublins inner city.

Would I be making a mistake?
would I be moving out of the frying pan and into the fire? Or is it ok?
Would like to hear from residents if possible.
Thanks.

would be a big mistake!

Mance Rayder

Duzzer wrote: »

would be a big mistake!

Can I ask why?

Kintarō Hattori

CiscoStudent wrote: »

Can I ask why?

I'd like to know why too.

I can't say anything about that particular estate OP but like yourself the missus and myself moved from the city centre to Balbriggan a few months ago. It's been brilliant. People are friendlier, things are cheaper. You're out in the country with excellent links to the city centre.

orlaeryn

Well, I am a resident of Cardy Rock. Have been here quite a few years and am very happy in the area. We also moved form a City apartment, lured by cheaper house prices etc.. We have not regretted our move yet! Balbriggan is a great town, most people are friendly enough, good public transpost service to city, and local shopping facilities are improving all the time too.

Cardy Rock itself is a very multi cultural estate, possibly more so than some other estates in Balbriggan. The majority of the properties are private and are owner occupied, however there are some social / council housing units too. Some people don't seem to like this...

Like most areas, we have had some problems, nothing major though. As it's a relatively new and young estate ,there are lots and lots of children, who tend to play in the estate itself ( most would be too young to go off elsewhere), however there is a great green area at the back of the estate which is in the process of being made over. We also have easy access to the beach form here too which is great

Duzzer

orlaeryn wrote: »

Well, I am a resident of Cardy Rock. Have been here quite a few years and am very happy in the area. We also moved form a City apartment, lured by cheaper house prices etc.. We have not regretted our move yet! Balbriggan is a great town, most people are friendly enough, good public transpost service to city, and local shopping facilities are improving all the time too.

Cardy Rock itself is a very multi cultural estate, possibly more so than some other estates in Balbriggan. The majority of the properties are private and are owner occupied, however there are some social / council housing units too. Some people don't seem to like this...

Like most areas, we have had some problems, nothing major though. As it's a relatively new and young estate ,there are lots and lots of children, who tend to play in the estate itself ( most would be too young to go off elsewhere), however there is a great green area at the back of the estate which is in the process of being made over. We also have easy access to the beach form here too which is great

Sums it up really, any potential future residents just need to read between the lines of that post!

Eoineo

Duzzer wrote: »

Sums it up really, any potential future residents just need to read between the lines of that post!

2 questions for you.

1. Please be clearer about what you mean?
2. Do you actually live in Cardy Rock?

The Hill Billy

Duzzer - Your comments so far are vague & unhelpful. Either back up your negative comments or do not post further in this thread.

HB

Mance Rayder

Thanks folks for all your advice it will really help me make my decision wheter to relocate there or not. appreciate it.

Dow99

I think Duzzer is just trying to be as politically correct as possible without being raciest or classiest.

PurplePrincess

You should take a day trip out some day and just have a walk around the town and the estates and see what you make of it. I'm living here 6 years (not in Cardy Rock though) and I'd be in no rush to leave.
As others have said there is good transport links and I have always found the locals friendly. There's plenty of nice walks and beaches in easy reach.

Kintarō Hattori

Dow99 wrote: »

I think Duzzer is just trying to be as politically correct as possible without being raciest or classiest.

Perhaps that's even worse then. I have neighbours from Poland, Slovakia, England, Ireland as well as several African neighbours. Everyone seems to get along great. I was a little worried after I had moved to the area and saw the amount of kids. Guess what? The majority of them have good accents, are polite and I have thankfully yet to encounter one I could call rude or say was raised badly.

Perhaps you should have a look in the cycling forum where I posted a thread about being knocked off my bike by a teenager in Balbriggan. The teenager there and then, without me looking for/demanding anything took responsibility for his actions and fixed my bicycle. That's some pretty damn fine parenting.

Balbriggan was a cheap spot to move to during the boom and so consequently you have many renters and homeowners. About 6 years ago I rented and hated the place. I said I'd never go back and look at that I bought a house there. The place has come on leaps and bounds and I'm happy to say it's a great place to live.

The Hill Billy

Dow99 wrote: »

I think Duzzer is just trying to be as politically correct as possible without being raciest or classiest.

No he/she is giving a negative impression of the area without anything to back it up.

Mance Rayder

As far as different nationalities living there it matters not as my family would be another "multicultural" family to add to the biodiversity of the area .

Brian?

I live there, it's grand.

It is fairly ethnically diverse and there are a lot of kids. But I don't see this as a negative. Most of the houses in the estate are very well looked after and there is very little noise or messing at night.

Eoineo

briankeating wrote: »

I live there, it's grand.

It is fairly ethnically diverse and there are a lot of kids. But I don't see this as a negative. Most of the houses in the estate are very well looked after and there is very little noise or messing at night.

Similar experience here to the 2 previous posters who actually live in the estate.
We moved from an area with an awful lot of anti-social behaviour and noise. Yes, every now and again it can get noisy if somebody throws a party over the weekend or there are kids out late playing but that happens everywhere. Even if that does happen you can be guaranteed there is someone who would be out to complain and ask them to turn it down, go home, whatever. In my experience it is nothing even close to what we had in the last house we lived in.

If you're looking to move somewhere that the residents are out and making an effort in the estate and in the community then Cardy Rock is a great example. The only estate run Summer Project in Balbriggan was in Cardy Rock last year and there will be another one this year. Many of the residents volunteer in the wider community which include the local Youth Clubs, sporting clubs, Order of Malta etc, etc. There is a funday planned for the end of the summer, regular cleanups - you get the idea.

Sure there are loads of different families here. So what? We have less different from one another than we have in common.

I'm not saying it's not without its problems. What estate do you know has no problems?

It's a great pity that the main green area is to the back of the estate because it's not great from kids playing out and about point of view. You'd be happier letting your smallies play in a green area if it's visible from your window.

Oh and the seagulls, especially early in the morning, drive many of us up the walls. To be fair though having other family members who live in the Balbriggan area, that's not a problem confined to Cardy Rock!

Brian?

Eoineo wrote: »

Oh and the seagulls, especially early in the morning, drive many of us up the walls. To be fair though having other family members who live in the Balbriggan area, that's not a problem confined to Cardy Rock!

Aye, the seagulls drive me up the walls sometimes. I work nights half the time and am regularly woken by a seagull tap dancing on the skylight in my bedroom. We just had an extension out the back to create a new sitting room and sometimes it sounds like an elephant dancing on the roof when there's a few of them up there. Very little I can do about that though I suppose.

SarahC11

Ive never lived in cardy rock its self but have lived in balbriggan about 3years now, my boyfriend is from out here, its grand, i found it a bit boring when i first moved out cos im from coolock and was used to just hoping on the 27 to go shopping or whatever but its something ive got used to and dont think i would move out of balbriggan now! and plus with millfield open now its alot easier to get things without having to trek into town! (im counting the days till mc donalds finally opens!!) as for there being alot of foreign national families thats true but its the whole town not just cardy rock, and there are alot of "blow ins" like myself that some people might consider bad neighbors (im not though im a great neighbor!!) its the same as anywhere else luck of the draw when it comes to neighbors and what not!!

giant_midget

Cardy rock... Not for me. I grew up in Balbrggan. I live up in Flemington now the past few years.

If you want to escape the city centre and the noise etc, Then maybe have a look at Balbriggan's more mature area's.. hampton cove, fancourt, flemington, castlelands..

These houses are built to a far superior standard than the cardboard sub villages that cropped up in balbriggan over the past 15 years. Plus there is not usually millions of kids out screaming on the road playing and you have ample parking and reasonable gardens. An all round better package.

Plus these estates are very mature so you only have people who own their houses living there, They don't seem to be full of people renting..

Eoineo

giant_midget wrote: »

Cardy rock... Not for me. I grew up in Balbrggan. I live up in Flemington now the past few years.

If you want to escape the city centre and the noise etc, Then maybe have a look at Balbriggan's more mature area's.. hampton cove, fancourt, flemington, castlelands..

These houses are built to a far superior standard than the cardboard sub villages that cropped up in balbriggan over the past 15 years. Plus there is not usually millions of kids out screaming on the road playing and you have ample parking and reasonable gardens. An all round better package.

Plus these estates are very mature so you only have people who own their houses living there, They don't seem to be full of people renting..

I'm not aware of any cardboard houses in Balbriggan. Would you like to let me know where they are? That's if they've survived the rains of the past couple of days! When referring to Sub-Villages I'd assume you're talking about the Castlemill Complex? Cardy Rock isn't part of the Castlemill Area at all, but living in the Flemington area you'd know that already wouldn't you?

Each house in the estate is allocated 2 parking spaces. Does the average household need anymore than that? Our gardens are plenty big too.

Saying that properties don't SEEM to be rented is radically different to being able to point out which houses ARE rented.

giant_midget

I get what you are saying, I take back the cardboard remark. Castlemills, yes that is fairly crowded..That is what i was trying to say :pac: I would never live in any of these areas, No privicy narrow garden with cheap garden shed, neighbours can see everything. A builder friend of mine he did a lot of the brickwork on various balbriggan developments and he used to joke saying these houses are buing put together too quick and lots of problems will surface in the next few years..

Again not for me, Give me a mature housing estate that is ownder occupied anyday of the week..

SarahC11

giant_midget wrote: »

Cardy rock... Not for me. I grew up in Balbrggan. I live up in Flemington now the past few years.

If you want to escape the city centre and the noise etc, Then maybe have a look at Balbriggan's more mature area's.. hampton cove, fancourt, flemington, castlelands..

These houses are built to a far superior standard than the cardboard sub villages that cropped up in balbriggan over the past 15 years. Plus there is not usually millions of kids out screaming on the road playing and you have ample parking and reasonable gardens. An all round better package.

Plus these estates are very mature so you only have people who own their houses living there, They don't seem to be full of people renting..

I have to agree with that ive just moved out of castleland court i loved it up that end of town but had to move to a more suitable house for the dog and baby on the way! we originally said the furthest north of the town we would go was hampton green or maybe clonard court (as a last resort) but due to some problems while moving (long story!) we are now in new haven bay (even though i was dead set against this end of town!) its not too bad but the south end of town i alot nicer in my opinion, i am actually renting myself but i do prefare more settled estates if i am ever in a position to buy i would definetly buy somewhere like fancourt

giant_midget

SarahC11 wrote: »

I have to agree with that ive just moved out of castleland court i loved it up that end of town but had to move to a more suitable house for the dog and baby on the way! we originally said the furthest north of the town we would go was hampton green or maybe clonard court (as a last resort) but due to some problems while moving (long story!) we are now in new haven bay (even though i was dead set against this end of town!) its not too bad but the south end of town i alot nicer in my opinion, i am actually renting myself but i do prefare more settled estates if i am ever in a position to buy i would definetly buy somewhere like fancourt

Bang on Sarah, The south end of the town is far nicer & thoses houses up in castlelands court are lovely. Just my opinion of course but id rather live in a tent than anywhere up by dunnes or around the garda station (except old breamore) , Grand short term but 100% would never pay for a house in any of these areas.

Nodster

SarahC11 wrote: »

or maybe clonard court (as a last resort)

Sarah, that hurt! Been living in Clonard Court since 2003 and can't say a bad word about the place. Good Luck with the move and I hope you enjoy New Haven as much as we like our little established estate.

Kintarō Hattori

I bought in Dun Saithne Green and I have to say I'm delighted. It's timber frame but it seems well constructed. It's very well insulated and any tradesmen who have come out to do some work have commented positively on various aspects of the house/construction.
It's 2 bedrooms but spacious enough for my fiancée and I. We have a good sized garden and to be honest I like the location. I like the fact that in a few minutes walk or cycle I'm at the top of Flemington Lane and out in the countryside.

Yes there are quite a few kids in the estate but with a lady who is hyper-sensitive to noise it hasn't bothered us to any degree. They play on the green and any time we've spoken to them they've always been polite.

Horses for courses. I like it, other people may not, each to their own. I wouldn't look down on any particular development, each has something to offer people.

The Hill Billy

OK - Enough! The OP asked for advice on a particular estate - petty slagging of various other parts of the town was not requested & is unhelpful.

Further comments in this vein may be deleted & the poster infracted/banned.

HB

Moonbeam

Dun Saithne were finished a lot better then most of the new houses due to being social and affordable housing.They are lovely and so spacious for 2 beds.
"The cardboard houses" / "lego land" refers to all the new houses by Dunnes, I own one and still refer to them as that.
Balbriggan is very mixed.
On one hand unemployment seems very high on the other in some estates there is no one around during the day because they are all in work!
There is a youth cafe,loads of schools,a community creche,the most amazing library.
It is probably one of the most multicultural towns in Ireland and can't find stats but I heard the non irish population is greater then the irish.
There are great advantages to this but there is the odd disadvantage too as different things can be acceptable to different cultures.
We moved out after we had a child and our requirements changed. I find the quality of life in Maynooth a lot better but have a bigger house and live nearer to things.

SarahC11

Nodster wrote: »

Sarah, that hurt! Been living in Clonard Court since 2003 and can't say a bad word about the place. Good Luck with the move and I hope you enjoy New Haven as much as we like our little established estate.

i didnt mean that its a bad area, clonard court is nice i ment as a last resort as in the furthest north of the town we wanted to go because the bf is from the bower so i ment in terms of distance from his ma's an friends ect!!

cathy01

My Brother lives in Martello, and I can honestly say, its the nicest estate that I have ever had the pleasure of being involved in.Yep, I dont live there but go up for the BBQs and have made friends with his neighbours.If I had to move to a smaller house then I wouldnt think twice about it being there.

My brother would say, I have no milk, Ill have to get some from the spare fridge and pop next door for a cup of milk.Now if I dont that where I live, Id get loooked at.

New estates with lots of new people can take a while to get gelled but they do , over time.Having young children playing out the front is a lovely thing, it means that the residence feel safe.

I dont have personal experiance of Cardy Rock, my friend moved out as it was a 3 story and the stairs didnt agree with her.I was VERY jelous of her having a down stairs loo.:D

Either way, welcome to Balbriggan, where ever you end up.The town is GREAT.

Moonbeam

It took a long time for Martello to become like that

cathy01 wrote: »

My Brother lives in Martello, and I can honestly say, its the nicest estate that I have ever had the pleasure of being involved in.Yep, I dont live there but go up for the BBQs and have made friends with his neighbours.If I had to move to a smaller house then I wouldnt think twice about it being there.

My brother would say, I have no milk, Ill have to get some from the spare fridge and pop next door for a cup of milk.Now if I dont that where I live, Id get loooked at.

New estates with lots of new people can take a while to get gelled but they do , over time.Having young children playing out the front is a lovely thing, it means that the residence feel safe.

I dont have personal experiance of Cardy Rock, my friend moved out as it was a 3 story and the stairs didnt agree with her.I was VERY jelous of her having a down stairs loo.:D

Either way, welcome to Balbriggan, where ever you end up.The town is GREAT.

Moonbeam

Moonbeam wrote: »

It took a long time for Martello to become like that

I now live in Martello and I like it, I remember you saying you lived up here too, and your shower never worked... well we may not have a shower but Cathy's brother is great as are the rest of the residents! We're having a clean-up day tomorrow.

To the OP if Cardy Rock is anything like Martello, which I get the impression from another post it is, then you would do very well living there! The one thing I found is that it's near on impossible or at least very expensive to socialise in town anymore, because it's so hard to get home. Sometimes it's cheaper for us to book a hotel in the city centre! But if you are moving up here with a family, then that probably isn't an issue you face. Blabriggan has it's downside, like most towns, but it has a huge amount going for it. The rent is cheap, the multicultural side of things I find actually keeps the place pretty safe, I have never had problems with any of my foreign neighbours but can't say the same for some of the Irish! The facilities in the town are great, supermarkets, takeaways, etc.

I grew up down the country and lived ten years on the south side of Dublin, moved up here and felt like a fish out of water, but I definitely call it home now!

KOR101

1. The homes are built by Gannon Homes, which typically develops in 'posher' areas. Developers tend to like to build similar houses everywhere as that's a lot simpler for them. I think, to a certain extent, that's happened in Cardy Rock. They are a much higher standard than you might expect for a starter home, and a much higher standard than most of the estates in Balbriggan which were built closer to the tail-end of the boom.

I would describe them as 'middle class' homes.

2. The houses are very large. The three beds on the Avenue are 115 square metres. By the end of the boom, approximately 80 square metres is all you might have expected. Just google planning permissions for the estate, and you will see the developer re-applied to fit more houses per block, but was refused on the grounds that the subsequent houses would be too narrow.

3. The estate has extremely unusual access to good recreational areas. In most estates you have a green area, and possibly a play area. In Cardy Rock, there is no play area, but the green area is adjacent to council owned rugby and football fields, and a short lane off the green area leads down to the beach. For older children, the easy access to the beach is a feature that most other estates can't come close to matching.

The effect of the estate facing the sea is that you don't have the same 'hemmed in' feel that you can have in other estates. And, if you enjoy sea walks, then you are really spoilt.

4. The neighbours are nice. There is no bad feeling in the estate.

5. It's the ideal commuter house because the train service into Dublin is good -it's frequent, and you can get a seat. And, you are practically living on the doorstep of the countryside. It's this mix of living in the country, and the easy commutes, which makes Cardy Rock ideal for me.

There are negatives, but that as they say is another story...........

Eoineo

KOR101 wrote: »

1. The homes are built by Gannon Homes, which typically develops in 'posher' areas. Developers tend to like to build similar houses everywhere as that's a lot simpler for them. I think, to a certain extent, that's happened in Cardy Rock. They are a much higher standard than you might expect for a starter home, and a much higher standard than most of the estates in Balbriggan which were built closer to the tail-end of the boom.

For those who do remember back that far (!) Gannon Homes transferred their social/affordable allocation for Robswall to Cardy Rock. They developed both estates at the same time. They have a similar layout (both internally and externally) and the same Architects - go figure. This was at a time that they were able to do the transfer and the loophole for developers was closed not long afterward. That is why Cardy Rock has a higher percentage of social/affordable housing compared to most other housing estates.