Principal Planning Officer

Carrington West; Essex; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A local authority planning consultancy is seeking an Interim Principal Planning Officer in Essex. This role focuses on managing complex planning applications and requires candidates to have a strong background in development management within a local authority setting. The ideal candidate should possess excellent communication and negotiation skills, alongside a thorough understanding of relevant legislation. The position offers flexible working arrangements and competitive pay of up to £55 per hour.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a development management case officer.
• Proven ability to handle major planning applications.
• Strong understanding of planning processes and compliance.
• Experience presenting at planning appeal hearings.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex planning applications and compliance.
• Negotiate agreements such as S106 and PPAs.
• Prepare and present reports to planning committees.
• Collaborate with colleagues and manage relationships.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Negotiation skills

Technical knowledge of planning legislation

Ability to manage complex cases

Teamwork

Self-starter attitude

Education

Post-graduate degree in planning or related discipline

Eligibility for membership of RTPI

Job description

Carrington West are assisting their local authority client based in Essex in the search for an Interim Principal Planning Officer to join their Development Management team on an initial 6-month contract.

This role requires a planning professional who has previous experience of working on major and strategic planning applications and who can manage a varied workload. This role is being offered on a hybrid working basis with an expectation of 1 day a week in the office as well as attending site visits.

Key responsibilities

• Manage a broad range of more complex cases and pre-applications with particular emphasis on larger developments including negotiating S106 agreements, Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs) and providing resilience and flexibility within the service (Applications including residential schemes of 1000+ dwellings)
• Manage complex and/or contentious planning applications, processes and compliance, regulations and legislation, acting as the single point of contact for customers on those cases and attending appeals hearings and public inquiries as appropriate.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation, as well as Members and managing key relationships with partners.
• Access and accurately update all relevant information systems, both customer and back office ensuring that the master customer record is updated and maintained through verification and validation, and in accordance with Data Protection principles
• Prepare and present reports to Area Planning Committees, District Planning Committee, and other internal and external meetings and present evidence/stand as witness at planning appeal hearings and public inquiries

To apply for these roles, it is essential that you have worked as a development management case officer in a local authority planning department or at an equivalent level in a private practice. The successful candidates must have good fundamental and technical knowledge and understanding of all relevant planning legislation and policies. You will need to have excellent communication and negotiation skills as you will be working in a team environment, as well as dealing with other professionals. We are looking for a motivated self-starter with a can-do attitude.

It would be beneficial to hold a Post-graduate degree in planning, regeneration or a related discipline, and have the eligibility for membership of RTPI.

The council are looking for candidates who will be able to hit the ground running and are offering flexible working arrangements.

Pay

Up to £55 per hour

Job Ref

61978

Contact

Please call Cameron de Wit on 02393 876014 for a confidential discussion on this role, or email myself or our planning team if you are short of time to chat:

[e-mail]
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Carrington West's dedicated Town Planning Recruitment Team supply clients UK wide on both a permanent and contract basis and all levels of seniority. If this role is too senior, too junior or in a location that is unsuitable, but you are keen on options, please still feel free to apply and we can discuss other, often unadvertised roles with you.