Greater Muscat Structure Plan: shaping a sustainable future for Oman’s capital

The Greater Muscat Structure Plan (GMSP) has reached a defining milestone with the official public launch by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MoHUP). As Oman’s capital city, Muscat is entering a new phase of growth, guided by a strategic urban development framework that prioritises sustainability, resilience, and quality of life. This landmark initiative was created with stakeholder engagement, MoHUP, and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of international experts.  

The public launch ceremony marks a significant step forward in translating national ambitions into a clear, actionable roadmap for the capital - one that balances prosperous urbanisation with environmental stewardship, smart city leadership and infrastructure efficiency.

A collaborative vision for Muscat’s future

The GMSP brings together expertise across urban planning, transport, economics, infrastructure, and climate resilience to establish a holistic spatial framework for Muscat. With population growth and urban expansion accelerating, the plan provides a structured approach to managing density, connectivity, and land use alongside design standards and policy development.

As part of an international consortium, working alongside Broadway Malyan, F&M Middle East, and MIC-Hub, Cundall played a critical role in shaping the plan’s sustainability, resilience, and infrastructure strategies - ensuring a vision that is both ambitious and deliverable, while preserving the rich heritage and culture that defines Oman’s appeal. 

Delivering measurable sustainability outcomes

A key driver was translating Oman’s national ambitions, including Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050, into a practical, city-scale framework to inform decision-making over the coming decades. This process led to the development of targeted urban policies and strategies, alongside an integrated urban sustainability and smart city framework spanning all disciplines.

Working closely with stakeholders, Cundall developed a comprehensive framework, incorporating more than 100 indicators and KPIs across nine thematic areas. This sustainability and smart city framework enables stakeholders to track progress, strengthen accountability, and embed sustainability at every stage of Muscat’s development. This is now successfully being translated into wider national initiatives and regulations.

We also led the development of the Urban Risk and Climate Change Mitigation Strategy, a vital component of the plan. This included:

• A climate vulnerability mapping exercise to identify high-risk areas
• Policy guidance for climate mitigation and carbon reduction pathways
• A long-term strategy aligning urban growth with environmental targets

This work ensures that climate resilience is embedded at the core of Muscat’s future development, not as an afterthought. 

Building smarter, more efficient infrastructure

Managing Muscat’s geographical scale and dispersed urban form presents a major infrastructure challenge. Cundall’s approach focused on optimising resource use while reducing environmental impact, delivering practical solutions that support both growth and decarbonisation.

Our key interventions included:

• Supporting integrated energy planning, including land allocation for solar energy and optimised power generation zones.
• Promoting co-location of infrastructure assets to improve efficiency and reduce land use.
• Embedding demand-side management strategies to reduce peak energy loads, and power infrastructure.
• Introducing circular water management principles, ensuring treated water is reused effectively across sectors.
• Smart metering and leak detection systems to lead provide insight and support to positive infrastructure stewardship.

Through a city-wide water balance strategy, we also identified opportunities to enhance wadis, green corridors, and urban landscapes while safeguarding water resources. This creates a more resilient and sustainable urban ecosystem, reducing pressure on natural systems while supporting growth. 

Managing flood risk and coastal change

Flood risk, both terrestrial and coastal, was a central planning challenge for Muscat, particularly given its extensive catchment area and over 100km of coastline.

We delivered a comprehensive flood risk assessment, mapping vulnerabilities across more than 4,400 km². This evidence-based approach enabled the integration of flood risk management into land use planning and urban design from the outset.

The strategy combines:

• Traditional infrastructure solutions to reduce flood risks for infrequent intense events.
• Nature-based approaches, including sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and green corridors, to manage more frequent events.
• Forward-looking coastal adaptation measures, informed by sea-level rise projections and coastal erosion rates.  
• Robust flood risk policies embedding risk-based decision making in urban planning.  
• Educational knowledge sharing and exchanges to ensure future management is held in the hands of Omanis.

This layered approach not only protects communities and assets, but also enhances biodiversity, public space, and long-term resilience. 

Enhancing liveability and connectivity

At its core, the GMSP is about creating a more liveable and inclusive city. The plan places strong emphasis on people-focused design, ensuring that Muscat evolves into a city that is easier, healthier, and more enjoyable to navigate.

Key initiatives include:

• Improved walkability, with shaded pedestrian routes and better connectivity.
• The introduction of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, linking residential, commercial, and recreational areas.
• Expanded cycling infrastructure and active mobility networks.
• Increased access to green and recreational spaces across the city.

By integrating transport, public space, and urban form, the plan reduces reliance on private vehicles while improving accessibility and wellbeing.

Collaboration at the heart of our approach  

The success of the Greater Muscat Structure Plan lies in its fully integrated approach, bringing together policy, planning, engineering, and environmental expertise into a single, cohesive vision.

A milestone for Muscat’s future

The public launch of the GMSP signals a bold commitment to shaping Muscat into a resilient, sustainable, and future-ready capital.

With a clear vision now in place, supported by robust technical frameworks and collaborative expertise, Muscat is well positioned to deliver a new model for urban development in the region, one that balances growth with environmental responsibility and quality of life.