Bibliography: leaves 69-72. / This study investigated the land-use potential of the Liesbeeck-Black River confluence area . It is intended to serve as a guide to land-use planners and other interested parties concerning the opportunities and constraints proffered by the environment on the confluence area. The collecting of baseline data was undertaken by nine Masters Students in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at the University of Cape Town. Each student then analysed the data individually. The study was undertaken in part fulfilment of the academic requirements of the Masters Degree. The Liesbeeck-Black River confluence area (hereafter called the study area) is located approximately 5.5 km east of the CBD of Cape Town. It covers approximately 232 ha and is bounded by the N2 Freeway to the South, Alexandra Road to the East, Liesbeeck Parkway to the West and the Culemborg-Black River Railway Yard to the North. The aim of the study was twofold, firstly to determine a procedure whereby the optimal land- use alternative for an area could be determined, taking into account the effects of significant environmental elements, and secondly to analyse and determine the optimal land-use alternative for the study area specifically. The procedure developed during the research is an adaptation of the Leopold Matrix method of analysis. The environmental elements characteristic of the study area are listed on the horizontal axis, and the land-use options to be analysed on the vertical axis. The magnitude and significance of the effect of an environmental element on a particular type of land-use can then be rated and this rating entered in the corresponding matrix cell. By adding the ratings of all environmental elements on each land-use option, the overall rating of the different land-use options can be obtained. The option with the highest overall (positive) rating is then considered to be the optimal type of land-use. This method was then applied to assess the land-use potential of the study area. The land-use options considered to be appropriate for the study area were determined by considering only those types of land-uses for which a regional need had previously been established.