Marine Parade is at the heart of Dundee’s £1 billion waterfront redevelopment.
Located on a former dockyard site near the historic HMS Unicorn, its cluster of houses and apartments are among the most in-demand places to live in the city.
Little wonder. Most of the homes have fabulous water views, either over the Tay estuary to the south or over Dundee Marina to the north.
The city centre is a stroll away, and you can walk along the riverfront to Broughty Ferry in one direction and Invergowrie to the other.
V&A Dundee is just a few hundred yards to the west, while the new Eden Project is set to be built a short distance to the east.
The striking, award winning building Water’s Edge lies across the marina and its modern offices are packed with trendy young tech workers.
The Apex Hotel and the popular water park Wild Shore are also in close proximity.
Amazing location
Number 2 Marine Parade is a ground and first floor duplex apartment. It was constructed in 2007 and was one of the first phases of development at the former docks.
The flat is right on the waterfront. Access is by a security entry system, with the front door to the property off a communal hallway.
It has a remarkably spacious hallway for an apartment, with wood flooring helping to make it a bright and welcoming place.
The living room gives the first indication of what makes Marine Parade so special. The views are absolutely breath-taking. The river twinkles just a stone’s throw away. Further back, the Tay Bridge bisects views of the Fife coastline and hills.
Marine Parade is build on a spur of land that juts forward slightly. This means not only is there a vista directly across the water, there are also sideways views along the river to where the striking bulk of the V&A looms.
The living room has an array of corner windows as well as a west-facing window in the side to take full advantage of the outlook.
Adjacent to the living room is a downstairs bedroom that has been turned into a family room/home office and provides a great space to either work or curl up with a book.
Porthole views
The kitchen faces west and has its river outlook through a circular ‘porthole’ window that is a charming nod to the area’s nautical heritage. A modern WC and a spacious cupboard complete the downstairs accommodation.
The apartment is owned by Professor Margaret Bartlett. She bought it just over four years ago when taking up a post at Dundee University.
She says: “I looked at a few places first but Marine Parade really drew me in. The views are incredible, of course, but it’s also a home that gets a lot of natural light in it which was important to me.”
A set of stairs turns back on itself and deposits you at the first floor landing. Margaret decided to use one of the upstairs bedrooms as an extra living room. With a huge corner window and an even more stellar outlook from its elevated position the decision was a no-brainer.
“When covid came along and I started working from home I really wanted to separate living and work spaces,” Margaret continues.
“I would work in the living room downstairs then in the evening move to the upstairs lounge. It has big south facing windows so it enjoys a lot of light.”
Views from Marine Parade
The upstairs lounge really is special. Four floor-to-ceiling windows fill one corner of the room. A comfortable chair is placed next to them and is a fantastic spot to watch the river gently flowing by.
A large double bedroom faces the front and has its own wonderful view framed through a large window. A family bathroom has a bath with shower over.
The master bedroom looks to the side of the property and has another delightful porthole window. It looks along the river to the V&A.
A study area sits off the master bedroom and provides one of the apartment’s many spots suitable for working from home. However, it could also be easily converted into a dressing room.
The main bedroom also has its own en suite shower room. Its side-facing window enjoys river views, while a gauze curtain adds some privacy.
Many modern homes have a shortage of storage but that’s far from the case with 2 Marine Parade. In addition to a large cupboard at ground level there’s a huge walk-in storage space at first floor level – at 13 feet long it can house everything from bicycles to stand-up paddleboards.
Being built just 15 years ago, 2 Marine Parade is insulated to modern standards and is heated by a gas combi boiler. All of the windows are double glazed.
Flexible layout
What makes it special is its flexibility. It could easily be used as a four-bedroom apartment, making it suitable for a family. Or, as is the case with Margaret, it can be set up with two bedrooms, two living rooms and a home office or family room. Anyone looking for an investment would find it works equally well as a buy-to-let or a holiday rental property. At 166 square metres, 2 Marine Parade is a very large apartment indeed.
Externally, the grounds are landscaped and there is a courtyard to the year. A factor service ensures they remain well maintained. The apartment comes with its own allocated parking and there are also spaces for visitors.
The waterfront walkway is immediately outside the apartment. There are benches dotted along it that are excellent spots for enjoying a coffee on a sunny morning.
Having spent the last few years of her working life at Dundee University, Margaret has recently retired. “That’s the reason I’m selling the flat,” she explains. “I have a bit more freedom to move around now so I don’t need to be in a city.”
Number 2 Marine Parade, Dundee, is on sale with Rettie for offers over £285,000.
