The Division is housed at Victoria House, Barracks St, Port Louis. The Town and Country Planning Division, being a technical section of the Ministry, advises the Minister on the optimal use of our scarce land resources.The staff includes professional planners made up of a Sociologist Planner, Town and Country Planning Officers (TCPO's), Senior Town and Country Planning Officers (STCPO's), Principal Town and Country Planning Officers (PTCPO's), a Deputy Chief Town and Country Planning Officer (DCTCPO) and the Chief Town and Country Planning Officer (CTCPO), as well as a support staff made up of one Senior Planning Assistant, 5 Development Control Officers, one Chief Draughtsman, one Principal Draughtsman, 3 Senior Draughtsmen and 12 Draughtsmen.

See  Organisation Chart

A proper planning system is vital to our quality of life.  A successful planning system promotes economic prosperity by delivering land for development in the right place and the right time.

Mauritius has a "plan-led" system of development control. Development plans have two purposes: to describe the intended use of land in an area and to provide an objective basis for the consideration of planning applications. There are two types of plans in Mauritius: The National Development Strategy ( for further details download the Executive Summary ) which provides a strategic framework for national land use planning and local plans known as Outline Planning Schemes which are regional plans for a Municipal Council or District Council area. Outline Planning Schemes provide the framework for local authorities to plan, shape and control the use of land within their area. They translate the national strategy to the local level.

Development Control is necessary to ensure that developments are properly implemented such that the overall character and amenity of the area are not adversely affected. In Mauritius, the local authorities are empowered by the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954 to grant planning permits; a permit is required for the development of land and development is defined as involving:

The law also makes provision for appeal against the decisions of the local authorities, - notably where development permits are refused or where conditions attached therein are considered as being unacceptable. Such an appeal is made to the Town and Country Planning Board (TCPB) which is located at Fon Sing Building, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis.

Town and Country Planning plays an important role by helping to strike a balance between development and the protection of the environment and to achieve social equity through a better spatial distribution of the benefits of development. It protects the natural and the man-made environment both for the benefit of present and future generations, whilst at the same time ensuring that development and growth are sustainable.

A new Planning and Development Act was passed in 2004 and it is gradually being implemented; it is expected to replace the Town and Country Planning Act,1954 by the end of 2006.

The Ministry manages lands belonging to the State; it has powers under various legislations (e.g the Pas Géométriques Act and the State Lands Act), to grant leases over such State lands to individuals. The Town and Country Planning Division is responsible, together with the Survey Division for controlling development on these leased State lands.

According to the Town and Country Planning Act, the TCPB is responsible for the preparation of Outline Schemes. However, since the TCPB is not staffed with planners, the responsibility of preparing such Outline Schemes devolves upon the Town and Country Planning Division of this Ministry. The Planning Division has finished the review of the rural Outline Schemes and will soon initiate the review of the urban Schemes.

Once an Outline Scheme is prepared and approved, the TCPB reviews the scheme as and when necessary; normally, it undertakes a revision when it is in the presence of a number of requests from affected land owners for the rezoning of their lands. Such modification exercises are also undertaken by the Town & Country Planning Division on behalf of the TCPB.

A master plan is being prepared for the island of Agalega. This plan will provide the basis for decision-making on the future development of Agalaga.