It’s going to be all change at Charlemont Street, Tara Street, O’Connell Street and beyond, when MetroLink finally leaves the station.
MetroLink proposes 19 kilometres of line, and 16 planned stops will change how buyers hunt for homes.
When complete, this new spine will transport 20,000 per hour per direction. In addition to mobility, it offers homebuyers a whole new vista of housing stock options.
The end of the line is not yet in sight, but for those who haven’t yet started their home-hunting journey, or are finding themselves priced out of certain areas, MetroLink offers long-term cross-town connectivity that will help join the dots with the Luas and Dart lines.
Which areas have the most possibilities? Lands north of Collins Avenue hold significant potential for large-scale residential development, says Noel Duffy, divisional director at Sherry FitzGerald New Homes.
He says North County Dublin possesses the necessary land capacity for substantial development.
“However, improvements in transport infrastructure are essential to unlock this potential. West Dublin has experienced sustained growth over recent years, in part due to the introduction of the Luas network.
"For first-time buyers, transport accessibility ranks highly among decision factors.”
“Areas such as Swords stand to benefit most from its introduction. While the Swords Express currently provides excellent connectivity, MetroLink would further strengthen links between Swords, the city centre, and the wider north County Dublin area, an area that merits such enhanced connectivity.”
Swords is a huge growing area and is finally getting its moment in the sun, says Graham Murray, regional director at Sherry FitzGerald.
Following the R138 road network and those coming off the M1, the areas he sees benefiting will be Donabate and Portrane.
“The second-hand home supply is limited, but there’s a good supply of new houses, and these are really good areas, already rich with amenities.
"The kilometres of beach, golf courses, it’s all about the lifestyle.”
"Swords village is super and has everything, including Pavilions and one of the best shopping centres in the country," Murray says.
"If you buy here, you’re going into an area that is established and is going to expand. Already it’s quite hard to find anything here for under €300,000."
Murray gets a lot of international buyers favouring this part of the capital for its proximity to the airport.
The areas south of the Ballymun stop are already popular, says Brian McGee, branch manager and senior negotiator at DNG Phibsboro.
He feels Glasnevin and north of Glasnevin will benefit and “expects over 5 per cent growth on prices in 2026, and with the extra publicity on the Metrolink going ahead, he sees 7.5 per cent growth in this area.”
From Saint Mobhi Road, towards Collins Avenue, Glasnevin Avenue, and Glasnevin Park, all top-selling mature residential areas, will be in demand at premium prices from now, he explains.
“Whitehall, Collins Avenue, Santry and Ballymun are all areas to explore as MetroLink coming will heighten interest and purchasers.”
Ronan Lyons of Drumcondra-based Move Home flags the fact that those looking between the Collins Avenue and Ballymun stops will have two potential stops to choose from.
He feels the greatest potential for growth within the city limits part of the line will be at the Mater, Drumcondra and Collins Avenue stops where he expects “values to rise by 10 to 20 per cent in the next four or five years, similar to what happened to spots along the green Luas line once it opened, Ranelagh, Milltown, Windy Arbour, Dundrum, Stillorgan and Sandyford.
"Cabra West has benefited greatly from the green Luas is already about 15 per cent up. This new line will benefit Cabra East.”
The availability of reliable public transport is now more important than ever, Duffy says.
“Historically, most new homes were delivered with two car parking spaces per unit, but planning regulations and design standards have since reduced this to one space in many cases.
"As a result, access to efficient public transport has become a critical component.”
Here are the streets around each of the stops that agents interviewed flagged as worth looking at:
Estuary
The Estuary stop will be close to a park and ride (PRS).
“It will encourage as many people to get out of their cars and onto public transport,” Murray says.
“Look at Sandyford. The PRS scheme has really worked. The place now feels vibrant with all the coffee houses, landscaping.”
Sixty per cent of the market here is first-time buyers, with the bulk of them looking at second-hand properties.
"Those who want to trade up from a two-bedroom apartment want to stay in the area.”
Roads proximate include Estuary Road, Spittal Hill and Lissenhall, Estuary Court, with Donabate and Portrane also seeing an uplift. Donabate already has commuter train links.
Seatown
Look at Seatown Villas, Colmcille Court, Seabury Estate and Ashley Avenue for second-hand homes.
In new homes, Bovale developments recently submitted plans for the construction of 530 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, while Glenveagh purchased lands off Gannon Homes and is actively selling houses in Mooretown and Millers Glen in Swords.
Both schemes are about one to two kilometres from the proposed stations.
Swords Central
Housing stock ranges from the 1960s to the contemporary.
Look at St Columcille’s Park, Carlton Court, Oaklands Avenue and Forest Hills.
Church Road has a mix of housing types, and there are apartments in The Plaza Crescent on Forster Way and above mixed-use schemes, Burgundy House and Burgundy Court.
Fostertown
South of Swords is Fostertown, which will be mainly a new homes territory, says Murray.
In new homes by MKN Property Group was recently granted planning permission for phase one of this SHD development, which will comprise some 265 one, two and three-bed apartments.
The six-acre site is zoned and masterplanned for residential development.
On the outskirts is Boroimhe.
“People love this estate for its really built homes,” Murray says.
There’s a small new homes development of three and four-bedroom homes at Boroimhe Hazel, available through Savills.
Second-hand homes worth looking at include Boroimhe Cedars, a complex of apartments and duplexes with houses at Boroimhe Maples, Boroimhe Oaks, Boroimhe Pines and Boroimhe Laurels.
Dublin Airport
There isn’t a lot of development earmarked for this stop, but there are some detached houses on the Old Dublin Road and Old Stockhole Lane.
Dardristown
This is not an area known as a residential location, says Murray. It’s just by Dublin airport. Once the infrastructure goes in, some lands in Santry will get rezoned.
Northwood
There is a limited number of houses here. A lot of the stock is apartments. In terms of apartments, the most popular schemes are Northwood, or Carrington, both on the edge of the Santry Demense, and Lymewood.
It is a good place to buy, says John Sullivan of independent estate agents Ray Cooke, which has a strong presence in the area. It’s near shops and Gulliver’s Retail Park. There are already good bus routes to the city centre.
Northwood Green, Old Ballymun Road, Domville Woods, Santry Wood, Geraldstown Wood, Northwood Crescent, Northwood Court. Parklands, Temple Court, Temple Gardens, Lymewood Mews and Haywood Court.
In new homes, Cairn is currently constructing an apartment complex in Northwood comprising 268 apartments, 124 one-beds and 144 two-beds.
Ballymun
Good range of housing stock options here, from one-bedroom apartments to three and four-bedroom homes.
The Plaza Building, which is in the centre, Shangan Park, Silloge Park, and Crannogue Close, are all being sold to first-time buyers
The Shanliss Road offers large 100 to 135 square metre three and four-bedroom homes. The Ballycurris Road, Ballycurris Gardens, Ballycurris Park, and Ard na Meala.
In new homes, Dublin City Council is seeking approval for 102 one and two-bedroom houses on its Sillogue lands.
Collins Avenue
This stop is being built in the grounds of the Church of Our Lady of Victories, on the Ballymun Road, Glasnevin, a crossroads between Santry and Glasnevin.
There is a wide range of housing stock here, from the 1940s to the 1990s, across all price points. Willow Park, Wadelai Road, Glasnevin Drive, Glasnevin Park, Clonmel Road, Drapier Road and Maolbuille Road.
Red Rock recently got approval for 67 one-bedroom apartments, social housing for the elderly. The location is within walking distance of the proposed station.
Griffith Park
Crinion says there’s a wonderful selection of homes at this stop, on Glasnevin Hill and the roads off it; Cremore Road, Cremore Villas and the Alexander strain-built Edwardians on the old Finglas Road.
Addison Park is a lovely development of apartments that are south-facing and overlook the Tolka River Park and Glasnevin Cemetery.
Those on tighter budgets should check out the Tolka Estate at the very end of Griffith Avenue, Crinion says.
Glasnevin
Located at Cross Guns Bridge, streets worth looking at include St Mobhi Drive, St Mobhi Road, Walsh Road, Fleming Road, Hardiman Road, O’Daly Road, Ferguson Road, Home Farm Road and through Griffith Park, where the river Tolka flows through it, to Upper Drumcondra village. Botanic Avenue has more than 20 different housing stock types on it.
Drumcondra
This is already popular with buyers at every level. Look at Lindsay Road, Dalcassian Downs, Prospect Road, Botanic Road, Phibsboro Road, Leinster Street, Munster Street, Connaught Street, Ulster Street, Shandon Park Enniskerry Road, Royse Road, Eglington Street, and the North Circular Road. In Cabra East, look at Leix Road and Dowth Road.
Mater
The red bricks here already command a lot of attention.
Look to Berkley Street, Sarsfield Street, O’Connell Avenue, Geraldine Street, Goldsmith Street, Berkley Avenue, Eccles Street, Nelson Street, Blessington Street.
Part of the NCR, Leo Street, Killarney Parade, Glengarriff Parade, Kenmare Parade, Muckcross Parade, Derrynane Parade, Inisfallen Parade and St. Ignatius Road.
O’Connell Street
There are second-hand apartments and houses as well as plenty of period stock in need of restoration on Parnell Street, Parnell Square, Dominick Street, Railway Street, Sean McDermot Street, Talbot Street, Gardiner Street, North Great George’s Street, Denmark Street, Jervis Street, Abbey Street, Lower, Middle and Upper, Marlborough Street and Bachelor’s Walk.
Tara
The apartment blocks on Townsend Street, Windmill Lane and Lime Street are all worth a look, Glouster Square too.
There is some housing stock on Creighton Street, Glouster Street and Pearse Street and its environs.
Stephen’s Green
York Street, Cuffe Street, Kevin Street, Stokes Place, Molesworth Street, South Frederick Street, Kildare Street, Merrion Street
Charlemont
This straddles Portobello and Ranelagh catchment areas and already commands premiums for these punchy-priced postcodes.
