Phoenix Park Racecourse housing development, Castleknock-D15

Cool Rider

Hi,

Haven't seen any up to date post on this so want to start one. I want views of people living in and around the development on what they think of the development. I will start with what I know and will love to hear your views on it.
Pros:-->>
1) Castleknock/train station/closeness to city centre/phoenix park
2)New houses
3)Good value to had there now prices down over 50% in last couple of years.
Cons:-->>
1)Boom time development-probably half empty
2)Parking problem-whats the staus on visitor parking, is it provided atleast
Usure:-->>
1)What impact new children hospital opening will have on the area.
2)Any social issues?
3)How is sound insulation of these development as they are all cramped up together can be a issue?
All views invited.
Many Thanks,
Anuj

devilabit

Cool Rider wrote: »

Hi,

Haven't seen any up to date post on this so want to start one. I want views of people living in and around the development on what they think of the development. I will start with what I know and will love to hear your views on it.
Pros:-->>
1) Castleknock/train station/closeness to city centre/phoenix park
2)New houses
3)Good value to had there now prices down over 50% in last couple of years.
Cons:-->>
1)Boom time development-probably half empty
2)Parking problem-whats the staus on visitor parking, is it provided atleast
Usure:-->>
1)What impact new children hospital opening will have on the area.
2)Any social issues?
3)How is sound insulation of these development as they are all cramped up together can be a issue?
All views invited.
Many Thanks,
Anuj

Vistor parking is not sorted but it is not as bad as previously. The sound insulation is average, i have never really had a problem with it. There has been a couple of robberies (like everywhere) but i would say its no worse than most places and there is some security onsite. Most units (90%-95%) are actually occupied at least, there are very few units for sale now. I hear the developer is considering starting phase 2, who knows by the time its done the market may have stablished if not improved. However this means the development may resemble a construction site for the foreseeable future.

All in all im happy with the development and love being near the park.

Best of luck!

RATM

I considered Phoenix Park Racecourse for a rental lately but to be honest I preferred the developments at Ashtown, the Chandler building in particular. It is a 2 minute walk from Ashtown train station which is only 2 stops from Connolly and you have a nice small selection of shops, gym, restaurants and a Superquinn there as well as the canal to walk beside.

It is only a few minutes walk from the Phoenix Park Racecourse development so while you're further away from the Park itself it is still not all that far, probably an extra 5 minutes walking. There's a wider range of facilities available at Ashtown IMO.

KenHy

I live there.

Don't see what the children's hospital has to do with the place - can't see it having any impact.

Sound insulation is good - have not had any issues whatsoever - and I live in a block with children in apartments above and below us, and we'd regularly see them in the common area playing but once we are in the apartment you'd never hear them.

No "social issues" as you put them - usual common sense and you'd have no problems.

Development is definitively not empty - almost every unit appears occupied.

Visitor parking or parking a second car (as far as I know each unit has one assigned space) can be a bit tricky - but not impossible. There are plenty of unassigned parking spots, it's just that a lot or residents also use them!

Can't see anyone being daft enough to start building new units, but even if they were I don't think construction would effect the current development. There would be several access routes that don't go through the current buildings.

Ashtown is also a good option - nearer to the superquinn (the londis here is rubbish) and the train station - but if you drive you'll find yourself stuck at the barrier reguarly - and the Phoenix Park Racecourse is closer to the bus stops - there is a very good bus service and depending on where you are going in town, it may be quicker to use the bus rather than the train!

smallerthanyou

I like renting here. Suppose depending on what you want from it it's a good place to be. It's a good place to rent but I wouldn't buy here as I think there are a few variables that will push prices down. Also as there's so much builders stock it may not be easy all the time to get renters.

We're renting from the builders so although the place looks mostly full there is a lot of stock I'd imagine being held of the market. Also if you walk around the foundations are dug for another block or two of them which means the possibility of noise and many more units at some point. The estate is on the unfinished housing estates list so no household charge for the moment.

In terms of renting it's good. If you have two cars although the situation is better not sure it's still great but with one car it's grand. You can hear some noise through the walls but not noisy. It's lower levels than other places I've lived. If you work in town and are driving it would be frustrating to have to do down the Navan Road to come back up it. For the bus you have to cross the Navan Road over the partition each morning. That's annoying. You can walk to Castleknock village in 15 minutes and Rathbourne in 10 minutes. Has all the buses (37,38,39&70) and the train so really well connected. There's a security guy on all the time. The Londis is good for the basics. Can't think of anything else.

Cool Rider

Thanks all for your responses, gives me a good insight regarding the area/development, please keep them coming. I went for a drive around the area and loved that its so close to city/phoenix park but can see parking issues/building site concerns but all in all I think if I can get a good discounted place to buy here it will be worth it [well the time will only tell that]. But thats a good point that there are lot of mobile renters living in the units which will leave the place at first sign of disruption. Also cant see much facilities around the place except Londis guess it will develop with time if at all, saw the parking is back around white hoarding near Londis that should be welcomed and can be used at vistiors parking I suppose;)

Cool Rider

Went to house viewing for 3 bed house there only one selling for 200Kish, loved the house, loved the area and the price of the house will buy it in a blink if I have to. But its on 3 levels and wife don't like this and house, its a new house and she still dont like much about it [seemingly she is good at finding shortcoming to everything, at this rate seems to me that we'll be renting forever], gutted but who said that its a men's world:)

dazberry

Cool Rider wrote: »

Went to house viewing for 3 bed house there only one selling for 200Kish, loved the house, loved the area and the price of the house will buy it in a blink if I have to. But its on 3 levels and wife don't like this and house, its a new house and she still dont like much about it [seemingly she is good at finding shortcoming to everything, at this rate seems to me that we'll be renting forever], gutted but who said that its a men's world:)

LOL. Only recently we walked past a house that "I loved" and with a sigh said to Mrs D. - "We could have been living there now", to which she replied - "Why aren't we???". I listed the reasons why at that time she vetoed the house and she just shrugged and said we should have bought it anyway... We found our little castle in the end anyway

D.

John Mason

this is flash from the past, i was doing the conveyancing for these when they first went on market in good old days - people were buying 2 and 3 of them at @ 650k each. :rolleyes:

Buying them from plans, queuing up with their sweaty hands full of mortgage approvals and cheques from Mammy and Daddy

I do remember the spec being amazing on them.

that was a great development to work on.

smallerthanyou

Cool Rider wrote: »

Went to house viewing for 3 bed house there only one selling for 200Kish, loved the house, loved the area and the price of the house will buy it in a blink if I have to. But its on 3 levels and wife don't like this and house, its a new house and she still dont like much about it [seemingly she is good at finding shortcoming to everything, at this rate seems to me that we'll be renting forever], gutted but who said that its a men's world:)

Did you view the apartments as well? I wanted a nose yesterday in the open viewing but I restrained myself. What's the management charge on the houses and the apartments? Are they in good nick? Being sold by private sellers or the builders? Any other good info picked up from the viewing?

Cool Rider

smallerthanyou wrote: »

Did you view the apartments as well? I wanted a nose yesterday in the open viewing but I restrained myself. What's the management charge on the houses and the apartments? Are they in good nick? Being sold by private sellers or the builders? Any other good info picked up from the viewing?

Hi,
I saw the whole lot mgt fee for apts. was approx. 1800 and for house was 800. I will prefer house myself but apt. were good size with big living room/kitchen and balcony, the only problem was they were facing road and you'll hear traffic from N3. Its a pvt. sale. I think area is v.good and if I could I will like to buy a house here.

Pedro32561

Thinking of moving here soon. Can anyone tell me what people are generally paying for a 2 bed apartment to rent? Prices on Daft are advertised at around €1100 to €1200. Just trying to figure out if there will be much room for negotiation.

engineermike

Hi,
Only thing i have to add, the few we survey'd or snagged over the last while- hadn't any serious issues.
All within the norms, based on a visual inspection.
mike F

Skr4wny

The apartments are really nice out there and they are in a good location. Would be interested to see if they drop much more in price.

MayoSalmon

Is there any plans to finish this development? Half resembles a glorified ghost estate at present

devilabit

Yes, there are building the showhouses for phase 2 at the moment. They plan to launch in Spring 2015, see castleknocknewhouses.com

uli84

I Might be wrong but the one above is a different development

devilabit

No its the same, its still a flynn o'flaherty development. They are one of the few builders that didnt end up in Nama. I cant post links but the plans are up on fingalcoco.

DublinDilbert

devilabit wrote: »

Yes, there are building the showhouses for phase 2 at the moment. They plan to launch in Spring 2015, see castleknocknewhouses.com

Yea it's funny all the signs around the site say launching spring 2014.

These signs were put up before prices started to rise. So looks like they are more than happy to wait it out and get another 100K/house next year on the basis that demand/prices will be higher.

This has also happened at a few other sites around D15. I guess they've been able to sit on that land and do nothing for the last 6 years, they are in no rush to do anything too quickly.

devilabit

Yes the improved market is definitely a factor but its taken them longer than expected to finish the showhouses which has also added to the delay. The signs around the development say spring 2014, the website said autumn 2014 until the last couple of weeks but now its moved to spring 2015!

DublinDilbert

devilabit wrote: »

Yes the improved market is definitely a factor but its taken them longer than expected to finish the showhouses which has also added to the delay. The signs around the development say spring 2014, the website said autumn 2014 until the last couple of weeks but now its moved to spring 2015!

Definitely want to drip feed them onto the market. I think you'll find if they wanted to finish them quickly they could

20 Times 20 Times

Anyone know if the apartments are able to put up a satellite dish on their own balcony ?

Gatling

20 Times 20 Times wrote: »

Anyone know if the apartments are able to put up a satellite dish on their own balcony ?

Check with your management company ,

They generally keep ownership of balconies

Pedro32561

20 Times 20 Times wrote: »

Anyone know if the apartments are able to put up a satellite dish on their own balcony ?

Some apartments do have dishes up but they are very discreet. It's stated in the rules that they're not allowed, so unless the dish is almost hidden you would probably be asked to take it down.

Black_Knight

Pedro32561 wrote: »

Some apartments do have dishes up but they are very discreet. It's stated in the rules that they're not allowed, so unless the dish is almost hidden you would probably be asked to take it down.

+1

I contemplated it, but looking around none are visible (and my balcony faces west). They either dont put them up, or hide them well (balcony with those reed wall things to hide it).

freddublin

I spoke to the agency who will be selling the houses. They don't know about the price yet, were probably looking for a crazy increase of the market... that came to a stop. The lady said february or march, maybe end of march...
Price? Look on myhome she said for similar houses. There is race course behind, chesterfield on a side, the paddock on the other. Wide range of prices!
The first few house look cheaply finished for the area. Same standing as waterville Bandon square.
Does that builder has a good reputation?

freddublin

Planning permission number is FW13A/0052 with Fingal county council.
It says 140 + 6 houses.
The lady on the phone mentioned just over 80.
Estate agents can't be trust anyway!