Developer Cosgrave has just three of these uber-luxurious homes for sale at its hugely successful Eden Gate near Delgany, Co Wicklow . . .

pretty much the final flourish in this mixed scheme of 384 large detached and semidetached family houses, townhouses and apartments.

Already, over 200 families and first-time buyers have moved into their new homes at Eden Gate and the richly landscaped streetscapes and open spaces are now a mature and attractive housing environment surrounded by the beauty of the Wicklow countryside.

These streets of brickfronted houses, interspersed with larger blocks of apartment buildings and open spaces have a solid and traditional styling that sits well in their surroundings.

Reaction to the homes has been very positive, says David Lawlor of Hooke & MacDonald, who is in charge of sales.

"Over 330 homes have been sold out of a total of 384, " says Lawlor.

"We have 90% owner occupiers with every type of household interested. There are first-time buyers, young families, people trading up from Greystones and Delgany, people moving from Stillorgan and Foxrock and south Dublin, and people trading down from larger houses into apartments as they get older.

"A huge number of sales here have been by word of mouth, with family and friends of people who bought seeing what is available and deciding to move.

"The sheer value and size of home as well as the quality of the finish that you get here compared with 20 minutes up the road in Cabinteely or Foxrock is enormous."

The sheer size of the large six-bed homes for 2.3m is certainly astounding . . . at 361sq m (3,885sq ft) plus a double garage and a quarteracre landscaped walled garden with its own electric security gate, this is an enormous house by any standard.

But the Admiral showhouse, styled by Brian S Nolan interiors in Dun Laoghaire, is also one of the warmest and most attractive showhomes to go on display in a long time.

It forms the centrepiece of the latest launch in Eden Gate, when there will be three sixbeds, 12 large five-bed detached homes, six threebed townhouses and nine three-bed apartments for sale. The large six-bed homes are dotted at the edge of the big greens that form the centrepiece of Eden Gate, while the big five-beds are on a road at the back of the development.

The Admiral is a doublefronted home with a vast amount of reception space ranged on either side of the wide porcelain-tiled hall and an equally large amount of bedroom space ranged over two upper floors.

The finish in this house, from the tiling in the hall, kitchen and bathrooms, to the fabulous utilityroom at the side with its own drinks cooler, a cherrywood kitchen with a massive granite-topped island, four full bathroom ensuites, two jacuzzi baths and fitted wardrobes and walk-in dressing rooms, not to mention a fully equipped home office, are the last of many words spelling luxury.

The reception rooms are square-shaped with nine-foot high-coved ceilings. There are three limestone fireplaces with gas-effect fires in this home.

The kitchen/family space is fantastically well fitted with cherrywood cupboards, granite worktops, five-ring gas hob, coffee maker, microwave and double oven and an island so large you could live on it.

Family space is in an openplan area to the back of the kitchen which opens to patios on either side, revealing the large and generously planted and landscaped gardens.

A wide inner hallway with feature ceiling is on the other side of the kitchen and brings you back to the front of the house. This opens into the home office on one side, and has the downstairs toilet on the other. The formal sittingroom is at the front of the house . . . from the smallest to the largest all lavishly fitted spaces.

Upstairs, five of the bedrooms are situated around the stairwell . . . each beautifully fitted with cherrywood wardrobes with ivory doors.

There are four large bathroom en-suites and two of these have top-of-the-range jacuzzi baths.

At the top floor the entire floor area has been arranged as a vast bedroom suite . . . with massive storage, desk space, walk-in wardrobes and bathroom suite. But the options, says David Lawlor, are plentiful . . . it could be used as a gym, a den for teenagers, a guest suite, or a set of rooms for a child minder.

Storage is as copious as it is useful and has been built into every conceivable nook, cranny and alcove . . . under the french-polished panelled stairs, under the eaves, in recessed cupboards, as shelved recesses behind bedroom doors, as walk-in airing cupboards.

This house is, of course, the Rolls Royce of the scheme . . .

and fittingly Cosgrave has parked a vintage Roller in the front garden.

But the same sort of attention to detail is evident in all the properties, including the five-bed detached homes which have proved extremely popular.

Another big draw is the large creche and neighbourhood centre at the entrance to Eden Gate and Lawlor says lettings for the shops will be completed soon.

At the moment, access to the site is along Priory Road and through Delgany because the main road from Greystones has been closed temporarily.

This is to facilititate the opening of the controversially delayed main feeder road onto the N11 at Kilpedder which is now due to open in May and means that Eden Gate is even more accessible to to the main routes north into Dublin and south to the rest of Co Wicklow. The houses are on view today from 2pm to 5pm Price: six-bed detached house 361sq m /3,884sq ft) with double garage from 2.3m Five-bed detached house 234sq m (2,525sq ft ) from 1.35m Three-bed house 102sq m (1,100sq ft from 510,000 Three-bed apartments 92sq m (990sq ft) from 405,000 Agent: Hooke & MacDonald:

01-6318402