Assistant Planning Officer, Development Management

Wealden District Council; Hailsham; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Planning Officer to support sustainable development. Responsibilities include preparing reports, liaising with stakeholders, and providing customer-focused planning service. Ideal candidates will have planning experience, strong communication skills, and a related degree. Excellent salary, pension, and flexible working options are offered.

Benefits

Excellent salary

Pension

Flexible working

Employee benefits

Health & wellbeing scheme

Free parking

Qualifications

• Experience in planning and application of expert knowledge.
• Customer service skills to engage with conflicting demands.
• Knowledge of relevant law and policy regarding planning.

Responsibilities

• Prepare planning reports on development proposals.
• Provide advice and conduct negotiations with applicants.
• Liaise with stakeholders to ensure transparency in decision making.
• Engage in pre-application discussions to smooth the process.

Skills

Planning experience

Customer service skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Education

Planning or relevant degree qualification

Job description

Do you have an interest in helping new development come forward in a sustainable way? Do you want to build a career in a busy and proactive planning team? Then this role is for you.

Wealden District Council is committed to delivering sustainable development and providing our communities with a 5-star planning service. This is an opportunity for someone who has some planning experience and wants to further their career or for someone who is adept at dealing with householder, minor and other application types but wants to do that in a district with a varied history and landscape.

You will be part of a team that helps to process around 3000 applications, applying planning law and policy and delivering positive outcomes for our communities and businesses.

What will you be doing?

• Preparing planning reports on development proposals.
• Providing advice and conducting negotiations with applicants to achieve the best possible outcomes and deliver 5-star customer service.
• Liaising with various stakeholders, including residents, officers from other service sections, elected members, and external bodies to ensure material consideration are taken into account and that decision making is open and transparent.
• Engaging in pre-application discussions, taking opportunities to front load planning considerations and make the formal planning application process run smoothly.

What do you need?

• Experience in planning and the application of expert knowledge within a planning policy or development management context.
• Customer service skills, being particularly adept at speaking with those who have conflicting demands and priorities.
• Knowledge of relevant law, policy and guidance related to planning and related matters.
• Communication and negotiation skills being able to discuss proposals in a positive, constructive, and professional manner to deliver positive planning outcomes.
• A planning or relevant degree qualification or, as an alternative, considerable experience in planning matters.

What do we offer?

• Working for a great, forward-thinking Local Authority.
• Excellent salary, pension, flexible working, fantastic employee benefits and comprehensive staff health & wellbeing scheme.
• A friendly, supportive team and a range of opportunities for continuing professional development.
• Hybrid working with the ability to work from home as well as from our newly refurbished offices in Hailsham.
• Free parking.

Wealden District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment. We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities and all applications will be treated on merit.

We welcome innovation and do not automatically exclude candidates who use AI tools during the application process. However, we assess each application to ensure the candidate genuinely understands the role and its requirements. AI may be used ethically and responsibly, provided it supports, rather than compromises our core values of integrity, transparency, and fairness. During assessments and interviews, candidates must present their own skills and experience without assistance from others, external resources, or AI, unless explicitly instructed otherwise.