Planning Team Leader - Development Management

Maidstone Borough Council; Maidstone; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking a Team Leader for Development Management in Maidstone. You will lead a team of 6-8 planning officers and manage your own caseload, delivering expert advice on residential and commercial planning proposals. The role offers hybrid working and numerous benefits, including flexible hours and generous leave. You must have a degree in Town Planning and experience managing complex planning applications. This role supports personal growth in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid working opportunities

Generous holiday entitlement

Free parking

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Life Assurance

Qualifications

• Experience managing development management and planning appeals.
• Ability to produce clear and well-reasoned reports.
• Experience liaising with Councillors and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of planning officers.
• Provide expert advice on a range of planning applications.
• Negotiate with developers and present to the Planning Committee.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Project management

Political sensitivity

Education

Degree in Town Planning

Post Graduate qualification in Town Planning or Chartered Member status

Job description

What You’ll Be Doing:

Ready to take your planning career to the next level? In this role, you’ll play a pivotal part in our planning team, leading and managing a group of 6–8 planning officers with varying levels of experience. Alongside team leadership, you’ll manage your own caseload, providing pre‑application advice, determining planning applications, and handling planning appeals to ensure high‑quality development outcomes.

You and your team will deliver expert advice across a diverse range of proposals, including:

• Residential schemes of up to 50 units
• Commercial developments
• HMOs
• Prior approvals
• Agricultural and equestrian projects
• Change of use applications

You’ll ensure planning decisions are robust and reports are clear and well‑reasoned. Acting as the Council’s representative, you’ll negotiate with developers, present cases effectively to the Planning Committee and work closely with elected members. Strong collaboration and innovative thinking will be key to your success.

As a team leader, you’ll deputise for the Planning Applications Manager, including allocating work and signing off decisions. You’ll also act as the Council’s lead witness in planning appeals and ensure effective representation in court proceedings.

This is a full‑time, permanent role (37 hours per week, Monday to Friday) with hybrid working arrangements. Applications for part‑time working will also be considered.

Why Maidstone?

Maidstone is the county town of Kent, with the Borough providing a mix of both urban and rural opportunities. We deliver high quality services to residents and local businesses.

We will only achieve results through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect excellent support and training from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and we have a positive working environment where your ideas are valued.

At Maidstone Borough Council we value the importance of flexible working. We know that by offering employees a range of flexible working opportunities we can positively impact wellbeing and engagement and drive results in return. We have a highly flexible hybrid working policy, alongside flexi time and flexible working policies, enabling staff to shape their work patterns around building a greater work‑life balance.

Our Offer:

A range of benefits including:

• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year
• Free parking
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9‑day fortnight, part time
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand‑new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You:

• You will have a degree in Town Planning or a Post Graduate qualification in Town Planning and be a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, or be eligible to apply for chartered status
• You will hold a Full UK Driving Licence with access to a motor vehicle to visit sites as required
• You will have a range of development management experience, including dealing with complex and sensitive planning applications and planning appeals
• You will have experience of working closely with Councillors and have political sensitivity
• You will have excellent project management and communication skills and have worked in a planning performance agreement environment

Selection Process:

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment and an interview.

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is considered to require political sensitivity and the councils’ Politically Restricted Posts Policy applies. If you would like further information on this, please contact us at [e-mail].

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Tony Ryan, Planning Applications Manager on 01622 602358 [e-mail].

Job Description and Person Specification: https://docs.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs/Team-Leader-Development-Management-MBC-JDPS-Dec25.pdf

Interview Date: w/c 2nd February 2026