Principal Lawyer - Planning and Highways

Highways Magazine; Huddersfield; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid and flexible working

Cycle to work scheme

Travel and parking discounts

Exceptional pension scheme

Job summary

Kirklees Council is seeking a lead lawyer in its Planning and Highways team to provide advice to officers and elected members on planning, highways and related public-law matters. You will handle s106 and 278 agreements, public enquiries and enforcement, contributing to sustainable development in Kirklees.

The role offers hybrid and flexible working arrangements, with opportunities to develop leadership and management skills in a specialist area of planning law and public administration.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with current practising certificate, barrister or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.
• Substantial recent senior-level experience in planning law and/or highways law in England and Wales.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice to officers and elected members on planning and highways matters (including s106 and 278 agreements).
• Assist with complex and routine planning and highways advice, public enquiries, planning enforcement and public law.

Skills

Planning law

Highways law

Public rights of way

Local government law

Education

Qualified Solicitor / Barrister / Fellow of ILE

Job description

Do you want to make a difference to local people?

As one of the largest legal practices in the area, our dedicated Legal Service teams strive to get the best outcomesfor people in Kirklees.

The team

The Planning and Highways team handle a wide range of planning, highways, rights of way and environmental matters supporting our ambition for a sustainable and prosperous Kirklees.

The role

You will be one of the lead lawyers in the team providing advice to officers and elected members. Examples of matters you will deal with include s106 and 278 agreements, complex and routine planning and highways advice, public enquiries, advice on planning enforcement and public law.

Development

If you are ambitious to develop your knowledge in this specialist area and develop your management and leadership skills this is the job for you.

Your skills and experience

You will be a qualified Solicitor holding a current practising certificate, Barrister or a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives. You willhave substantial recent experience at a senior level of planning law and practice and/ or highways law obtained in England and Wales , and experience or the aptitude to develop skills in public rights of way and local government law.

Your benefits

Kirklees Council offers these benefits to all its employees:

• 27.5 days annual leave increasing to 32.5 after 5 years’ service (plus bank holidays).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Travel and parking discounts
• Exceptional Maternity and Paternity leave policies
• Exceptional Local Government Pension benefits
• Access to Employee Healthcare that offers a range of services from counselling to physiotherapy and health assessments.
• Hybrid and flexible working

Learn more about Kirklees Council Staff Benefits

We know there’s a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and we encourage applications from people with all differing abilities. So, if you need any support completing an application form, or any other format for the application or Job Description please contact the Recruitment Team for help by email: [e-mail] or phone: [phone] and ask for ‘Recruitment’.

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Closing date

01 November 2026, 11:55 PM