Let 1< p < \infty. It is shown that if G is a discrete group
with the approximation property introduced by U. Haagerup and
J. Kraus, then the noncommutative L\sb p(VN(G))-space has the
operator space approximation property. If, in addition, the group von
Neumann algebra VN(G) has the quotient weak expectation property
(QWEP), that is, is a quotient of a C\sp \ast-algebra with Lance's
weak expectation property, then L\sb p(V N(G)) actually has the
completely contractive approximation property and the approximation
maps can be chosen to be finite-rank completely contractive
multipliers on L\sb p(V N(G)). Finally, we show that if G is a
countable discrete group having the approximation property and V
N(G) has the QWEP, then L\sb p(V N(G)) has a very nice local
structure; that is, it is a \mathscr {COL}\sb p-space and has a
completely bounded Schauder basis.