Dynamic Planning Enforcement Officer

South Gloucestershire Council; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

South Gloucestershire Council is seeking a Planning Enforcement Officer to help maintain a well-planned and sustainable community. You will manage a varied caseload and contribute to enforcement across the full planning process, from pre-application discussions to post-decision actions.

You will need a planning qualification or degree, strong knowledge of planning law, excellent organization, and clear communication skills to handle diverse inquiries and complex situations.

Qualifications

• Hold a professional planning qualification, a relevant degree (such as urban planning), or demonstrate equivalent planning-related experience.
• Strong understanding of planning legislation and policy interpretation, with ability to interpret complex guidance, negotiate and make balanced decisions.
• Highly organized to manage workloads and deliver high-quality outcomes within timescales.
• Confident communicator, both in conversation and in writing, using diplomacy and decisiveness.

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied caseload of approximately 60-80 planning enforcement cases, from straightforward to complex investigations.
• Oversee the full planning process, from pre-application discussions to post‑decision enforcement activities, negotiating and writing reports.
• Provide high-quality service to internal and external customers, responding to inquiries with professionalism.
• Display decisive decision-making in complex or unprecedented situations.
• Where required, undertake field visits to investigate breaches of planning control.

Education

Planning qualification or degree (urban planning)

Job description

South Gloucestershire Council is seeking a Planning Enforcement Officer to help maintain a well-planned and sustainable community. You will manage a varied caseload and contribute to enforcement across the full planning process, from pre-application discussions to post-decision actions.

You will need a planning qualification or degree, strong knowledge of planning law, excellent organization, and clear communication skills to handle diverse inquiries and complex situations.