Planning & Highways Lawyer

Halton Borough Council; Widnes; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension scheme

Flexible working

generous annual leave

Job summary

Halton Borough Council in Widnes is seeking an experienced Planning & Highways Lawyer to join our Legal Services team. You will manage your own caseload on planning and highways matters and provide sound legal advice to officers and members on development management, enforcement, and related policy, including litigation such as appeals, Judicial Reviews, and Statutory Reviews.

You will draft and negotiate planning agreements (section 106, 278, 38), support policy decisions, and work with

Qualifications

• Experience as Planning & Highways Lawyer within local government or similar environment.
• Ability to provide clear legal advice to officers and Members on planning and highways matters.
• Proven drafting and negotiation skills for complex planning agreements.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice to Officers and Members on statute, case law, and policy for planning functions.
• Advise on highways functions including public rights of way and traffic orders.
• Draft and negotiate property documentation for housing, regeneration, and compulsory purchase matters.
• Deliver training and participate in regional group activities to improve service quality.

Skills

Communication skills

Job description

Reference: 84144Posted: 2026-09-11Closing date: 2026-10-04Location: Municipal Bldg, Kingsway, Cheshire, Widnes WA8 7QF, UKSalary: 54181

• 57269/yearType: Full timeEmployer: Halton Borough CouncilContact: Liz Wilson LaganEmail: Story:Halton is a vibrant local authority with a rich history and heritage, featuring two iconic bridges that connect communities across the River Mersey.

Located in Cheshire, Halton boasts excellent transport links between Liverpool and Manchester, as well as close proximity to both Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester Airports.Our progressive community strategy aims to bring about meaningful, long-term improvements that enhance lives.

It’s an exciting time to join us as we develop new policies and transform the way people access services.We are immensely proud that when asked what’s great about working for Halton, the most popular response from our workforce has been ‘our colleagues’.

Our Team:Legal Services supports every area of the Council, delivering expert advice across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters.

Within the department, our Corporate and Governance team is responsible for providing practical legal solutions and advice to internal client departments, as well as working with external stakeholders.

We’re looking for an experienced and proactive Planning & Highways Lawyer to join our team.

Reporting to the Principal Solicitor, you will manage your own caseload of Planning and Highways matters and provide legal advice to officers and members on the Council’s planning and highways functions.

You will also advise the Council’s Boards, Committees, Panels, and Groups of Members to ensure that policy and operational decisions are taken on a sound legal basis and in the most effective and beneficial way.

Hours: 37 per week.

Hybrid workingYour Contributions:Our Planning, Highways & Property Lawyer will provide advice to Officers and Members of the Council on all manner of Planning and Highways queries, as well as bringing and defending litigation including appeals, Judicial Reviews, and Statutory Reviews.

Possessing excellent communication skills, you will draft and advise on a variety of legal documentation including section 106, unilateral, section 278 and section 38 agreements, as well as ensuring that policy and operational decisions are taken on a sound legal basis.You will work collaboratively with the Planning and Highways departments to ensure the Council delivers innovative building projects, new developments, and regeneration across the Borough, engaging with external partners and other stakeholders along the way.

You may also have the opportunity to engage in Property work where experience and personal interest allow.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing advice to Officers and Members on statute, case law, and policy for the Council’s planning functions, including development management and enforcement.
• Providing advice to Officers and Members on the Council’s highways functions, including public rights of way, stopping up and diversion orders, traffic regulation orders and any general highway queries.
• Drafting and negotiating property legal documentation to assist with the delivery of housing and regeneration projects and to provide strategic advice in relation to Compulsory Purchase matters.
• Identifying, researching, and anticipating the effects on service provision of new developments in the law to ensure that clients are able to deliver timely and responsive services.
• Delivering training for Members, Officers, and Legal Services staff and to participate in recognised national and regional group activities to improve understanding of legal and service issues and the quality of service provision.

Our Offer:

Aside from working with a great team, our employees have access to a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• A generous annual holiday allowance starting at 34 days per year (including bank holidays), increasing with long service with the option to purchase an additional four-days of unpaid leave for our Annual Christmas Closedown
• Membership of our defined benefit, salary-linked Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions3 x Salary Life Cover via Local Government Pension Scheme
• Investment in your personal development
• Free Car Parking at HBC sites
• Flexible working arrangements
• Extensive employee benefits platform including discounted shopping, car leasing, gym memberships, wellbeing hub and Employee Assistance Programme
• Essential car user allowance

This includes making adjustments for people with a disability, neurodiversity or with long-term health conditions.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications.