The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, an Act to provide for planning the development and use of rural and urban land in the State of TamilNadu, states the Master Plan may provide for any or all of the following matters:

• the manner in which the land in the planning area shall be used;

• the allotment or reservation of land for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural purposes and for parks, play-fields and open spaces;

• the allotment and reservation of land for public buildings, institutions and for civic amenities;

• the making of provision for national highways, arterial roads, ring roads, major streets, lines of communication including railways, airports and canals;

• the traffic and transportation pattern and traffic circulation pattern;

• the major road and street improvements;

• the areas reserved for future development, expansion and for new housing;

• the provision for the improvement of areas of bad layout or obsolete development and slum areas and for relocation of population;

• the amenities, services and utilities;

• the provision for detailed  development of specific areas for housing, shopping, industries and civic amenities and educational and cultural facilities;

• the control of architectural features, elevation and frontage of buildings and structures;

• the provision for regulating the zone, the location, height, number of storeys and size of buildings and other structures, the size of the yards and other open spaces and the use of buildings, structures and land;

• the stages by which the Master Plan shall be carried out; and such other matters as may be prescribed.