This project, led by the Conseil Général du Nord (Lille), assembles an impressive 23 partners from Belgium, France and the Netherlands. It draws on the historical legacy of the Low Countries to examine its transnational cultural identity across the territory located between the four major urban heartlands of north-west Europe. The 5-year project seeks to make a coherent link between the architectural heritage and network of Flemish, Walloon and Dutch cities – particularly, in the guise of its fortified towns – and contemporary planning for sustainable development. Recognising that space has been eaten into by expanding urban networks and sprawl, the project advocates commitment to firm action to tackle imbalances which impede upon environmental quality. SEPTENTRION is based on the concept of a creative management of the architectural 11 heritage with the ultimate objective of preserving the common identity of the Low Countries, which includes the quality management of the urban and rural landscape. The well-balanced transnational partnership tackles this common heritage theme through a cluster of widely-spread investments, to create a cohesive necklace of interpretation centres across the region, as well as carry out small restoration or conversion activities. The project essentially offers an innovative, inter-regional vision for sustainable tourism, as a component of a wider spatial development and planning strategy for the NWE.