Planning Officer - Grade 8

Dorset Council UK; Dorchester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local pension

Flexible working

Home working

Job summary

Dorset Council is recruiting a Planning Officer to join the Western and Southern area fast track team to deal with householder applications and other small scale development, including advertisement consent and listed building consent. A degree in Town Planning or related subject is typically required, or relevant planning experience if your degree is in another field.

You will work with developers, communities and external bodies such as Natural England and Environment Agency to progress

Qualifications

• Degree in Town Planning or related subject is typically required, or relevant planning experience with a non-planning degree.

Responsibilities

• Prepare reports and recommendations on planning applications.
• Deal with written representation appeals and site visits.
• Work with developers, communities, colleagues within the council and external bodies to bring forward development.

Skills

Planning experience

Stakeholder engagement

Report writing

Attention to detail

Education

Degree in Town Planning

Equivalent experience

Job description

Looking for a new and exciting challenge? Protect it. Shape it. Enjoy it. Be part of Dorset. Dorset is a beautiful and iconic area, with historic market towns and miles of stunning coast. But it's also a place of growth and innovation, with a population of 375,000 and an economy worth over £7 billion. To serve this unique area, a new unitary council was established in 2019. Bold and ambitious, with a One Team approach, we’re taking Dorset into the future - and our Planning team is taking centre stage. Our Planning team is set to deal with 5,000 planning applications a year - everything from significant urban extensions, to small scale, householder projects. To make sure each one has a positive impact on our area, we need a Planning Officer to join our Western and Southern area fast track team, to deal with householder applications and other small scale development including advertisement consent and applications for listed building consent. You will generally be expected to hold a degree or equivalent in Town Planning or a related subject; or a degree in an unrelated subject and previous relevant experience in a planning environment in either public or private sector. Whilst holding a degree would be an advantage, applicants who do not hold a degree can still be considered for this role, providing they can demonstrate relevant previous experience in a planning environment. The role will include working with developers, communities, colleagues within the council and external bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency to bring forward appropriate new development. You will prepare reports and recommendations on planning applications, and will also deal with written representation appeals and site visits. The role offers the opportunity to gain a broad range of development management experience and is ideal for someone looking to progress their career in planning in a supportive team environment. All our roles call for affinity with our values: Respect, Openness, Together, Accountability, Curiosity. With a team that lives by these principles, we have a friendly and supportive workplace where you’ll be free to learn, develop and thrive. Employee benefits are generous and include a local government pension, flexible working, the opportunity for significant home working and continual learning and development. If you are looking for a new and exciting challenge and hope to improve the quality of your leisure time, with beautiful beaches and countryside on your doorstep just waiting to be explored, a Planning career in Dorset comes with everything you need.