Associate Town Planner

Penguin Recruitment Ltd; Woodford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-winning practice

Employee-owned organisation

Flexible studio locations

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Penguin Recruitment Ltd in Bristol is seeking an Associate Town Planner to lead planning strategies for strategic land promotion and residential-led development. You will manage complex applications and coordinate multidisciplinary teams to deliver planning solutions.

You will provide expert advice on policy, risks and post-consent delivery, while mentoring junior planners and supporting business growth.

Qualifications

• MRTPI accreditation with substantial UK planning experience.
• Extensive technical planning knowledge in strategic land promotion and allocations.
• Proven track record managing complex major and phased planning applications.
• Strong knowledge of planning policy, case law and legislation.
• Experience across planning appeals and Local Plan examinations; Expert Witness desirable.
• Excellent communication, presentation and client-facing skills.
• Strong project management and commercial capabilities.
• Proactive, entrepreneurial and collaborative business development mindset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead planning strategies for strategic land promotion and residential-led development.
• Provide expert planning advice across sectors and project stages from feasibility to delivery.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage planning workstreams, programmes and budgets.
• Advise clients on opportunities, risks, policy requirements, and post-consent delivery strategies.
• Take a lead role in planning appeals, Local Plan examinations and plan-making projects.
• Assist with bids, tenders and work-winning initiatives while developing client relationships.
• Support leadership and development of the planning service and mentorship of junior staff.

Skills

MRTPI accreditation

Strategic land promotion

Planning applications

Local Plan examinations

Expert Witness

Project management

Business development

Client relationships

Communication skills

Job description

Associate Town Planner

Location: Bristol

Salary: 60-70,000

I'm working with a well-established planning and design practice in Bristol who are looking to appoint an Associate Town Planner with strong technical planning knowledge, a proven track record in strategic site promotion and experience delivering complex planning consents and planning-led projects. The successful Associate Town Planner will play a key role across a portfolio of strategic land projects, helping to secure planning allocations and permissions, strengthen client relationships and support the continued growth of the business. You will take ownership of planning workstreams from initial strategy through to delivery, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and providing commercially focused advice to help clients overcome complex planning challenges.

Requirements

• MRTPI accreditation with substantial experience working within the UK planning system.
• Extensive technical planning knowledge, with demonstrable experience in strategic land promotion and securing planning allocations and planning permissions.
• Proven track record managing complex, major and phased planning applications, including outline, detailed and reserved matters submissions.
• Strong knowledge of planning policy, case law and relevant legislation, with the ability to deliver practical and commercially minded planning advice.
• Experience across planning appeals, Local Plan examinations and/or strategic plan-making, with Expert Witness experience being highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex planning matters effectively to clients, stakeholders and professional teams.
• Strong project management and commercial capabilities, including experience managing multidisciplinary teams, programmes, budgets and project outputs.
• A proactive, entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, with the confidence to develop client relationships and contribute to business development and work-winning activity.

Role

• Develop and lead planning strategies for strategic land promotion, planning allocations and planning applications, with a particular focus on residential-led development.
• Provide expert planning advice across a variety of sectors, project sizes and stages, from early site assessment and feasibility through to implementation and delivery.
• Take responsibility for complex planning projects, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing planning workstreams, programmes and budgets.
• Advise clients on planning opportunities and risks, emerging policy requirements, flexibility within planning permissions and post-consent delivery strategies.
• Take a key role in planning appeals, Local Plan examinations, Spatial Development Strategies and wider strategic planning and plan-making projects.
• Assist with bids, tenders and work-winning initiatives while developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, stakeholders and professional contacts.
• Support the wider leadership and ongoing development of the planning service, contributing to business planning, service improvement and strategic initiatives.
• Provide leadership, mentoring and professional guidance to junior planners and colleagues across the wider planning team.

Benefits

• Join an award-winning and purpose-driven planning and design practice with an established reputation for delivering successful, high-quality projects.
• Work within a dynamic multidisciplinary environment bringing together planning, design and environmental expertise.
• Become part of an employee-owned organisation where collaboration, shared responsibility and long-term collective success are highly valued.
• Gain exposure to a diverse range of strategic projects spanning different sectors, scales and locations.
• Have the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of new communities, regeneration schemes and developments that create meaningful long-term benefits.
• Access excellent opportunities for professional development, career progression and increased responsibility.
• Collaborate with experienced planning, design and environmental professionals on challenging, high-profile and multidisciplinary projects.
• Flexible studio location options, with positions available in Oxford, Bristol or Exeter, alongside consideration for candidates within a suitable commuting distance of other studios.