Graduate Town Planner

Vivid Resourcing; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentoring toward MRTPI accreditation

Comprehensive training and development

Generous annual leave

Company pension scheme

Subscriptions to professional bodies

Regular team events

Job summary

Vivid Resourcing is recruiting a Graduate Planner for its Cheltenham team to support experienced planning professionals on a mix of residential, commercial, mixed-use and strategic development projects across the UK.

You will gain hands-on experience from day one, receive structured mentoring towards MRTPI accreditation, and work on planning applications, appeals and policy research to build technical knowledge and commercial awareness.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Town Planning (RTPI-accredited preferred) or equivalent.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Proactive attitude with willingness to learn and develop.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist with preparation and submission of planning applications.
• Support planning appeals and site promotion projects.
• Undertake planning policy and planning history research.
• Prepare planning statements and supporting reports.
• Liaise with local planning authorities, consultants and clients.
• Attend client meetings, site visits and public consultations.
• Monitor planning legislation and policy updates.
• Support project delivery from inception through to completion.

Skills

Communication

Organisation

Proactivity

Research & analysis

Education

Master's degree in Town Planning

Job description

Kick-start your planning career with a leading planning consultancy.

An established and growing planning consultancy is looking to recruit a Graduate Planner to join its successful team in Cheltenham. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious graduate to develop their career alongside experienced planning professionals, working on a diverse range of residential, commercial, mixed-use and strategic development projects across the UK.

You'll gain hands‑on experience from day one, receive structured mentoring towards MRTPI accreditation, and have the opportunity to work on planning applications, appeals and strategic planning projects that make a real impact.

The Role

As a Graduate Planner, you'll support senior members of the planning team while developing your technical knowledge and commercial understanding.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting with the preparation and submission of planning applications.
• Supporting planning appeals and site promotion projects.
• Undertaking planning policy and planning history research.
• Preparing planning statements and supporting reports.
• Liaising with local planning authorities, consultants and clients.
• Attending client meetings, site visits and public consultations.
• Monitoring planning legislation and policy updates.
• Supporting the delivery of projects from inception through to completion.

About You

We're looking for someone who is enthusiastic, ambitious and committed to building a successful career in town planning.

You'll ideally have:

• A Master's degree in Town Planning or a related RTPI-accredited discipline.
• Be working towards RTPI membership or be eligible and committed to progressing via the Associate or Licentiate route towards full MRTPI status.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A proactive attitude with a willingness to learn and develop.
• Strong research, analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• A full UK driving licence would be advantageous but is not essential.

What's on Offer

• Structured mentoring and support towards MRTPI accreditation.
• Comprehensive training and professional development.
• Generous annual leave.
• Company pension scheme.
• Payment of relevant professional membership subscriptions.
• Regular social events and a collaborative team environment (including Xmas team trip abroad)
• Clear opportunities for career progression within a growing consultancy.
• Exposure to a varied portfolio of planning projects across multiple sectors.

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to begin your planning career with a consultancy that genuinely invests in its people. You'll work alongside experienced planners, receive ongoing mentoring and professional support, and gain exposure to a wide variety of projects that will accelerate your development.

If you're looking to join a supportive, collaborative and forward-thinking team where your career progression is a priority, we'd love to hear from you.