Lead Planning Enforcement Officer

The Planner Jobs Redactive Publishing Limited; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 53,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in North Northamptonshire is seeking a Lead Planning Enforcement Officer to manage the Planning Enforcement Team. This role involves investigating breaches of planning control and ensuring compliance with permissions and legal agreements. Applicants should hold a relevant degree and possess knowledge of current planning legislation and procedures. The position offers a competitive salary ranging from £53,460 to £56,805, along with benefits like flexible working arrangements and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension scheme

Generous leave entitlement

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Experience in managing a team in a planning enforcement role.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with stakeholders and the public.
• In-depth understanding of current planning legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Planning Enforcement Team in investigating breaches.
• Ensure compliance with planning permissions and conditions.
• Engage with public and stakeholders for effective service delivery.

Skills

Inspection and investigation procedures

Knowledge of PACE & RIPA legislation

Legal proceedings within English legal system

Knowledge of the English Planning System

Managing Planning Enforcement Team

Education

Relevant degree or qualifications for chartered membership

Job description

Overview

Lead Planning Enforcement Officer

Salary£53,460 to £56,805

About the role

North Northamptonshire Council is a product of local government reorganisation which took place across Northamptonshire in 2021. We have brought together the four former district and borough and county Local Planning Authority planning functions and working through a transformation programme to create a single high-performing planning service for North Northamptonshire.

North Northamptonshire is a high-growth area offering an exciting opportunity for professional development. We are working on preparing a new Local Plan to provide a spatial vision for the whole area. We are delivering sustainable urban extensions in differing phases of development, a wealth of large commercial and industrial development proposals and everything in between. This role with lead the Council’s planning enforcement function which is crucial to ensuring that quality development we have planned for and consented is realised in a way that safeguards confidence in the planning process, and best protects the wider public interest.

Please note: Interviews are anticipated to take place on 21st / 22nd January 2026

What will you be doing?

In this dynamic role you will play a vital part in supporting the effective delivery of North Northamptonshire’s planning functions. You will be at the forefront of providing customer service, engaging with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including members of the public, applicants and councillors, ensuring every interaction reflects our commitment to the future of our area.

You will be joining us at an exciting time as we implement our new team structure, come together in new headquarter offices, and roll-out new planning software and ways of working. Working as a Lead Planning Enforcement Officer you will be at the at the forefront of supporting initiatives be part of our continuing transformation and improvement journey, influencing the evolution of our service.

Your principal responsibilities will be focused on the management of the Planning Enforcement Team with the tasks of investigating breaches of planning control and monitor compliance with planning permissions including planning conditions and legal agreements. Utilising your professional knowledge and experience, you will direct and support colleagues with all matters relating to alleged breaches of planning control using the full range of available enforcement tools available.

About you

You will hold a relevant degree and qualifications or have the appropriate experience that would allow you to be eligible for chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (or equivalent).

You will be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of inspection and investigation procedures; knowledge and experience of PACE & RIPA legislation; and knowledge and experience of legal proceedings within English legal system.

You will have an in-depth understanding an extensive experience of the English Planning System, current planning legislation and practice, with a focus on the enforcement of breaches of planning control.

Our benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28days, rising to 33days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

• Customer-focused
• Respectful
• Efficient
• Supportive
• Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click hereThe Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council

Armed Forces Community

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)

To apply please click on the 'apply button'

Attached documents

• Lead Officer - Planning Enforcement December 2025.pdf