The attractiveness of the Mediterranean coastal region impresses strongly Montpellier urban area where population keeps on growing because of highly positive migration balance. Urban sprawl caused deep changes in periurban landscapes during last decades. New buildings took place where vineyard used to be the quasi-unique land-use. Local economy now largely depends on tertiary activities. In a situation of uncoordinated territorial governance, these driving forces led to large population mix, chaotic development, space waste and degradation of periurban landscapes. Montpellier Agglomeration, a new local authority, was created at the end of 2001 as a response to national legal and financial incentives, and to local challenges. This local government, gathering 31 municipalities, is in charge of several major public policies. Montpellier Agglomeration brought about deep changes in local governance and planning practices. This paper analyses the governance issues and presents how this new authority addresses the challenges of sustainable management of urban-rural development at regional and local scales: development strategies elaborated and spatial planning tools implemented. Lessons can be learned from the experience of Montpellier Agglomeration in the field of periurban land use relationships, the paper presents the following items: - The local context is broadly presented through historical changes in land uses and demographic components in Montpellier city-region. Local governance issues are also analysed, as are the different steps of the construction of Montpellier Agglomeration. - The Scot (territorial coherence scheme) of Montpellier Agglomeration is analysed and assessed as an innovative experience of regional planning. The Scot of Montpellier Agglomeration stands out because of the attention paid to the protection of open spaces (either natural zones and farmland), and the use of landscape as major vector of urban planning. It also enacts strong development rules to intensify housing and contain urban sprawl. - The results of a prospective study conducted with Plurel project are presented: four scenarios have been elaborated, combining differentiated local data and politica decision making, and/or external driving forces; these scenarios have been put to the test by spatial modelling and submitted to local stakeholders, in order to help thinking Montpellier Agglomération’s future and feed back decision making in periurban land use management.