The Directorate of Town Planning and Survey was established as a government corporation under Law No. (2) for 1998 issued by Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi  on June 3, 1998.

The objectives and tasks of the directorate in general:

• Preparing the comprehensive plan of the region and cities of the Emirate of Sharjah.
• Preparing and reviewing the plans of cities, suburbs and districts.
• Preparing the planning standards and regulations of Sharjah’s cities and basic utilities.
• Preparing and implementing the housing policy of the Emirate of Sharjah.
• Allocating the (residential, industrial, agricultural and commercial0 lands to the citizens of the Emirate of Sharjah.
• Keeping the records and data of lands for the different uses.
• Surveying the emirate’s lands and keeping pace with the latest technologies used for this purpose.
• Planning and carrying out urban renewal projects and re-planning old cities.
• Preserving the local constructional heritage derived from the Islamic architecture through regulating and monitoring the designs of buildings.
• Conducting transport and traffic planning studies and tracking the updating of traffic models.
• Ensuring Co-ordination among service departments in the field of developing the major infrastructure lines inside and outside the emirate.
• Preparing and conducting field questionnaires and studies with respect to the urban and housing indicators in the cities and countryside of the Emirate of Sharjah.
• Developing the Geographic Information System and connecting all the concerned departments with a unified system.
• Preparing the completed action plans for some distinguished areas (such as the areas of central cities).