Principal Planner (Development Management)

The Planner Jobs Redactive Publishing Limited; Bedford; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedford Borough Council is seeking a Principal Planner to lead major development projects within the borough. This is a permanent full-time role, requiring experience in planning and excellent customer service skills. The position offers a competitive salary and an opportunity for professional growth in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex planning applications.
• Proactive and innovative mindset essential.
• Motivated individual with relevant planning knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Deliver significant and important development projects.
• Manage and lead complex planning applications effectively.
• Ensure excellent customer service standards.

Skills

Customer service skills

Teamwork

Place-shaping

Job description

Bedford Borough Council

Environment

Principal Planner (Development Management)

Salary: £50,788 - £54,918 per annum, plus a market rate supplement of £3,000

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

We currently have a number of exciting opportunities within the Bedford Borough Planning Service, and this is an ideal career opportunity for an astute, forward-thinking principal planner who has the experience, knowledge and drive to deliver some significant and important development projects within the Borough.

We have excellent transport connections to the national rail network (40 minutes from London) and to the national motorway network via the M1 and A1. In addition, the Government’s growth programme commits to East-West Rail which will include stops in the south of the borough as well as in the heart of Bedford. This makes the Borough an excellent choice for investment: Universal Destinations and Experiences think so!

Bedford itself is a traditional market town with a range of excellent educational settings and good-quality cultural facilities. The River Great Ouse with its formal embankment, along with an impressive range of other urban parks and gardens, provides a high-quality environment in which to live and work. However, if you prefer to live in a more rural setting, you will not be disappointed as we also have many attractive villages from which to choose.

Bedford Borough Council is committed to a major programme of sustainable growth which will shape the Borough for generations to come. This will deliver thousands of new homes, regenerate its town centres and deliver environmental enhancements and an improved transport system.

We offer a fantastic opportunity to continue developing your planning career with an unrivalled mix of urban and rural development, regeneration schemes and sustainable new settlements. We are a friendly and supportive team, and we have flexible working practices, with a mixture of working in our office and homeworking. In return, we are looking for a motivated and innovative planner with relevant knowledge and experience of leading and dealing with a range of major and complex applications. A proactive approach to place-shaping and excellent customer service skills are essential, as well as being a team player.

If you believe you have these attributes, then we would love to hear from you. See what some of our current staff have to say about working in the planning team at Bedford: https://youtu.be/HREFP5SdlDU

If you are interested in this position and would like an informal chat, please email [e-mail]

For full job details, visit www.bedford.gov.uk

Closing Date: 30th June 2025.

Interview Date: Week commencing 14th July 2025.