The administrative area of South Dublin is located to the south-west of Dublin City and comprises 223 square kilometres. The South Dublin County area has a population of approximately 247,000 people (2006) and is the third largest local authority in the State in terms of resident population.

There are 26 elected members of South Dublin County Council and a staff of more than 1,300. The elected Council meets at the County Hall in Tallaght on a monthly basis. The Council is divided into three area-based Committees, which meet more frequently. Adamstown is located within the Lucan-Clondalkin Committee area, which has 9 elected members and meets at least twice a month at the South Dublin Civic Office in Clondalkin.

South Dublin County Council is the designated 'Development Agency' for the Adamstown Strategic Development Zone. As Development Agency, the County Council prepared the Planning Scheme for the Adamstown SDZ. The Development Agency is now responsible for ensuring that the development of Adamstown takes place in accordance with the details of the approved Planning Scheme and has set up the Adamstown Project Team, based in the Council Planning Department, to manage and oversee implementation of the Scheme.

To facilitate ongoing monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the Adamstown SDZ Planning Scheme, South Dublin County Council has established an Adamstown Steering Group which comprises representatives of the elected members and senior staff of South Dublin County Council together with representatives of relevant statutory agencies and Government departments. The Steering Group meets every 2-3 months in the Clondalkin civic office.

Project History

The lands at Adamstown were zoned "to provide for new residential communities in accordance with approved Action Area Plans" in the South Dublin County Development Plan 1998.

South Dublin County Council adopted a Local Area Plan for the lands at Adamstown in July 2001. The Government designated Adamstown as a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), also in July 2001.

As SDZ Development Agency, South Dublin County Council prepared a draft Planning Scheme for Adamstown in December 2002. The draft Planning Scheme was displayed in public until February 2003, during which time submissions were received.

Reports on submissions received - Manager's Report and Supplementary Manager's Report on submissions dated March 2003 and April 2003 respectively - were submitted to the elected members of South Dublin County Council, in March and April 2003. The reports proposed changes to the draft Planning Scheme and the elected members proposed further changes in the form of motions during April 2003.

Further to several Council meetings at which all proposed changes were considered, the elected members of South Dublin County Council decided to adopt the draft Planning Scheme subject to variations and modifications in May 2003.

The decision of South Dublin County Council to adopt the draft Planning Scheme was appealed to An Bord Pleanala in June 2003. An Bord Pleanala held an Oral Hearing in respect of the draft Planning Scheme in July 2003 and approved the Scheme in September 2003.

The first planning application for development within the Adamstown SDZ was submitted to South Dublin County Council in June 2004 and granted planning permission in September 2004.