[citation needed] The planned scale of development is 9,000 to 10,000 dwellings, with supporting infrastructure including public transport links.

[2] The homes built in Adamstown were to be familiar types of houses and apartment blocks but with a layout dissimilar to other later 20th-century developments in Ireland in that they were to incorporate modern urban design concepts.

The development was designed to reduce car usage, with the ease of access to the train station intended to promote walking and cycling.

[4] It was intended that after an initial ten years of development, it would have around 10,000 homes, and about 25,000 people, with schools, a library, community and healthcare centres, a cinema and a range of retail facilities.

The local authority applied to alter aspects of the area's development plan, and while some requests were rejected by An Bord Pleanála – the planning board – target densities were reduced, as developers lobbied that apartments were not viable for sale, and some features, notably the swimming pool, were allowed to be decoupled from the phased construction of housing.

Development was planned and delivered with an emphasis on family safety, with enclosed green spaces overlooked by housing and wide cycle paths; mature trees were also planted.

[5] As of mid-2020, 2,613 homes had been built, and subject to delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, development of thousands more were expected to proceed, with 3,500 new dwellings already covered by some form of county council permission.

The train station and three schools, a modest range of retail facilities, a community centre, and an all-weather sports pitch were operating as of the same time.

[10][11] Adamstown's first neighbourhood shopping centre included a small Londis supermarket, a hair and beauty salon, and a cafe/pizzeria, situated in the Sentinel Building.

[12] In April 2023, Tesco and Aldi supermarkets opened beside the train station, as part of The Crossings shopping centre.

[21] The Adamstown Youth and Community Centre, located on Station Road, has a sports hall, an all weather pitch, a gym and meeting rooms.