ABSTRACT
Groundwater protection is of particular importance in the County of Viborg, where agricultural pollution easily penetrates the permeable sandy soils. One of the main planning issues resulting from this is the control of farming activities to prevent the pollution of drinking water aquifers, particularly with a view to facilitating their long-term protection. The environmental planners at Viborg, with strong political support for the principles of 'sustainable development', had therefore taken the initiative to develop a pilot internet-based geographic information system (GIS), as a means of stimulating public and political debate. In order to achieve the aims, it was decided to base the actor-consultation on an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the participative activities involved in that scenario. In granting planning permission for increased farming production, difficult choices have to be made between the socio-economic benefits of increased agricultural production, and their consequent environmental effects.
