The objective of VEPS is to promote the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for e-planning, consultation and communication of citizens’ view on planning issues, particularly those regarding the environment. Members of the public will be able to view and respond on their home computers to planned changes to their local neighbourhoods. The 4.2 M euro project will seek to achieve this by refining and implementing a number of test bed schemes in the NW Europe region through the sharing of technical expertise in 3-D visualisation, ICT applications to promote public consultation and environmental modelling. The goal is also to design an ‘open system’ that can then be transferred to other regions to promote citizens involvement in the planning process, so helping to promote the balanced spatial development of NW Europe. Trans-national co-operation between the eight project partners is valuable on this project, both for sharing experience and the heavy costs involved.