The Government statement for the future development of the Metropolitan Region (METROPLAN,1991) confirmed the long term status of broad areas for future urban and rural use. The Study Area is shown as part of the urbanised North West Corridor.

A major finding of METROPLAN was that about 400,000 new dwellings will be needed over thirty years to 2021.

A vigorous programme of home building under revised codes within existing suburbs would yield 80,000 net additional dwellings. Therefore, new residential land would have to be developed for 320,000 dwellings.

The Study Area, as a result of the planning studies done for this Structure Plan, could accommodate about 53,000 of these dwellings.

Thus the Structure Plan has the following regional context:

• provides for about one fifth of new suburban growth in the Metropolitan Region over the next thirty years;
• is consistent with official policies of Ministry for Planning;
• conforms with existing urban infrastructure proposals;
• complements sustainable development in the hinterland; and
• fulfils strategic conservation objectives.