Planning Team Leader - Development Management

Maidstone; Maidstone; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working opportunities

Generous holiday entitlement

Employee Assistance Programme

Local Government Pension Scheme

Job summary

A local government authority in Maidstone is seeking a Planning Team Leader - Development Management to oversee a team of planning officers and manage a varied caseload. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Town Planning and relevant experience in development management. The role encourages flexible working with comprehensive benefits and a focus on high-quality service delivery in planning decisions. This is a full-time position with a commitment to support staff development within a positive working environment.

Qualifications

• Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, or eligibility to apply.
• Full UK Driving Licence with access to a motor vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a group of planning officers.
• Provide pre-application advice and determine planning applications.
• Negotiate with developers and present cases to Planning Committee.

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Political sensitivity

Education

Degree in Town Planning

Post Graduate qualification in Town Planning

Job description

Join to apply for the Planning Team Leader - Development Management role at Maidstone Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council provided pay range

This range is provided by Maidstone Borough Council. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

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
• 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 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.

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.

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.
• 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

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.

Political Sensitivity

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].

Contact: Tony Ryan, Planning Applications Manager on 01622 602358 [e-mail].

Closing Date: 25th January 2026

Interview Date: w/c 2nd February 2026

Seniority level

Not Applicable

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Other

Industries

Government Administration