Abstract: Urban sustainability is one of the most important challenges for the new century. In arid climates urban development is even more sensitive to resources use and environmental pollution. In northern regions of Chile, mining industry influences urban development policies, resulting in many cases in a lack of legacy on environmental issues. In this paper the case of Antofagasta is studied, considering the following items: water usage, air and soil pollution, climate change, acoustic and light contamination. A critical revision of Antofagasta master plan shows that environmental challenges have to be considered to address sustainable development towards a family-friendly and healthy city, a place where people would like to live and work.