Homes for life at Galway’s Reilean
This last week has seen the launch of a much-needed new phase in O’Malley Construction Company’s East Galway development, Reilean. Buyer demand is high in Galway, and, as countrywide, there is a shortage of new stock, with only this and one other new homes development currently under way. First started in 2006, planning permission on the site was originally for a higher density development of approximately 230 units, mostly terraced three-storey homes. Work was interrupted in 2007 when the property market crashed. At that time, they had partially built 35 units to various stages. In 2012 construction recommenced on the site and these have since been completed, sold and are now fully occupied.
Now, O’Malley’s has just launched a brand new phase of this development. In 2013 the company applied for new planning permission, rethinking the style of the development to a lower density, with roomier, more spacious units.
“We made a number of modifications to the planning, the main one being that we reduced the density a small bit, and changed our designs from a three-storey house to a two-storey with its own driveway and garden,” says company director David Casserly. “We knew from the market that people were looking for houses on two levels, where you’d have a larger ground floor circulation area, as kitchens and living rooms are obviously bigger in two-storey houses. We originally had terraced blocks. We now have either semi-detached or detached houses.” Ultimately, Reilean will consist of 106 units, and the adjacent development, Tuairin, to be completed subsequently, has just achieved planning permission for 62 units and a creche.
Located in Roscam in East Galway, Reilean is minutes from the motorway, and serviced by a regular bus service to the city centre. This phase consists of 25 houses, with sizes varying from approximately 112 sq.m to 166 sq.m. There are 12 three- and 13 fourbed homes, and all are two-storey. As yet, no show house has been completed, and buyers will purchase off plans, with the first houses ready for occupancy in the spring of next year. Prices start from €275,000.
In the main, buyers here are expected to be those trading up, or possibly trading down, rather than first-time buyers. “What we’re seeing is families who might have been in a smaller unit, possibly living in the locality, people trading up from smaller houses, a couple of people trading down,” says Casserly. “We’re finding people don’t want to climb the ladder anymore. They want a family house where basically you’re there for life if you want. They want to come in at a level, and that’s it.”
Of the Galway housing market, Casserly reflects, “It’s improved drastically, but it’s certainly not at the level of ’06 or ’07. People are a lot more cautious. But Galway’s an expanding city, there’s a need for new homes, a need for rental homes as well, although we’re not seeing investors yet.” Asking price: From €275,000 Agent: O’Malley Construction Company (091) 509 970; O’Donnellan & Joyce (091) 564 212