Planning Enforcement Officer

Bassetlaw District Council; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26-32 days holiday

Healthcare cash plan

Flexitime

Job summary

Bassetlaw District Council is seeking an experienced Planning Enforcement Officer to drive a proactive enforcement service across the district. You will manage your own caseload, investigate breaches, gather evidence, and prepare recommendations in line with policy and protocol.

You will also support compliance monitoring, prepare and serve statutory notices, assist with prosecutions and appeals, and represent the Council in court when appropriate. A UK driving licence is required.

Qualifications

• Must have strong knowledge of planning law, enforcement best practice and investigation procedures.
• In-depth understanding of planning policy and statutory notices.

Responsibilities

• Investigate planning enforcement complaints and breaches of planning control.
• Undertake site visits, gather evidence, take photographs and measurements.
• Prepare recommendations in line with policy and protocol.
• Serve statutory notices and monitor compliance with enforcement action.
• Support prosecutions and planning appeals; represent the council when required.
• Negotiate with applicants, residents and stakeholders to secure outcomes.

Skills

Planning law

Enforcement best practice

Investigation procedures

Negotiation

Communication

Problem-solving

Organisational skills

Prioritisation

Education

GCSEs including Maths and English (4–9)

Tools

UK driving licence

Job description

Are you an experienced planning enforcement professional with strong knowledge of planning law, investigation procedures and enforcement best practice? Bassetlaw District Council is looking for a Planning Enforcement Officer to support the delivery of an effective, proactive and high-quality planning enforcement service across the District. Working as part of the Development Team, you will manage your own caseload of enforcement investigations, assess alleged breaches of planning control and help ensure the Council's enforcement activities are sound, proportionate and rooted in positive outcomes for local communities. About the role In this varied role, you will investigate planning enforcement complaints, undertake site visits, gather evidence, take photographs and measurements, and prepare recommendations in line with planning policy, legislation and the Council's Planning Enforcement Protocol. You will also support compliance monitoring, prepare and serve statutory notices where required, assist with prosecutions and planning appeals, and represent the Council in court proceedings or at appeal hearings where appropriate.

• Manage and investigate a caseload of planning enforcement complaints and alleged breaches of planning control.
• Conduct site visits, gather evidence and assess matters against planning policy, legislation and other material considerations.
• Prepare and serve statutory notices and monitor compliance with enforcement action.
• Collate and prepare evidence for prosecutions, informal hearings, public inquiries and planning appeals.
• Negotiate effectively with applicants, agents, residents and other stakeholders to secure appropriate outcomes.
• Support and mentor junior officers where appropriate. You will have excellent knowledge of planning law, enforcement best practice and investigation procedures, together with demonstrable experience of dealing with complex and sensitive planning enforcement matters. You will be confident working in a politically sensitive environment, managing confidential information appropriately and communicating clearly with a wide range of stakeholders, including Elected Members, Planning Inspectors and the courts. Strong negotiation, mediation, problem-solving and organisational skills are essential, along with the ability to prioritise a busy workload in a pressurised environment. You must also hold 4 to 5 GCSEs at grades A-C or 4-9, including Maths and English, and have a UK driving licence with access to a car insured for business use.

This is an opportunity to play a leading role in delivering a fair, effective and locally responsive planning enforcement service, helping to protect the character, environment and communities of Bassetlaw.

We offer a generous employee benefit package including 26-32 days holiday plus bank holidays, free healthcare cash plan, flexitime and so much more. You can read about all our employee benefits.