Principal Town Planner

Vivid Resourcing; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

RTPI membership

CPD budget

Central Bristol office

Pension

Private healthcare

Job summary

Vivid Resourcing is seeking an experienced Principal Town Planner to join our planning team in Bristol. This senior role involves leading complex projects, mentoring junior planners, and acting as a key client-facing consultant across residential, commercial, mixed-use, education and infrastructure sectors in the Southwest and beyond.

You will manage applications from inception to determination, provide strategic planning advice, prepare submissions, and liaise with authorities and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• RTPI-accredited degree in Town Planning is required
• Chartered MRTPI membership is expected or essential
• 6+ years post-qualification experience in planning consultancy/local authority or similar environment
• Strong track record of managing complex planning applications and appeals
• Excellent knowledge of the English planning system, NPPF, and local development plans

Responsibilities

• Lead and project-manage a range of planning applications across diverse sectors from inception to determination
• Provide strategic planning advice including site appraisals, planning strategy, and development feasibility
• Prepare and coordinate planning submissions with planning statements, design and access statements, and technical documents
• Manage relationships with local planning authorities, statutory consultees and stakeholders
• Represent clients at pre-application meetings, planning committees and public inquiries
• Provide expert witness input for appeals (written representations, hearings, inquiries)
• Mentor and support the professional development of junior and graduate planners
• Contribute to business development through proposals and client pitches across sectors
• Support internal quality assurance to ensure robust and commercially sound outputs

Skills

Project leadership

Client relationship management

Mentoring

Written & verbal communication

Report writing

Public speaking

Business development

Education

RTPI-accredited Town Planning degree

MRTPI Chartered membership

Job description

Location: Bristol, UK | Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Principal Town Planner to join our planning team based in Bristol. This is a senior role suited to a chartered planning professional who can lead complex projects, mentor junior colleagues, and act as a key client-facing consultant across a varied portfolio of development work spanning multiple sectors - including residential, commercial, mixed-use, education, healthcare, and energy/infrastructure throughout the Southwest and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and project-manage a range of planning applications across diverse sectors, from small-scale developments to major mixed-use schemes, from inception through to determination
• Provide strategic planning advice to clients, including site appraisals, planning strategy, and development feasibility
• Prepare and coordinate planning application submissions, including writing planning statements, design and access statements, and supporting technical documents
• Manage relationships with local planning authorities, statutory consultees, and other stakeholders
• Represent clients at pre-application meetings, planning committees, and public inquiries
• Provide expert witness support and input for appeals (written representations, hearings, and inquiries)
• Line-manage, mentor, and support the professional development of junior and graduate planners
• Contribute to business development, including proposal writing, client pitches, and identifying new opportunities across sectors
• Support internal quality assurance processes, ensuring outputs are technically robust and commercially sound
• Degree in Town Planning or a related discipline (RTPI-accredited)
• Chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI)
• Substantial post-qualification experience (typically 6+ years) in a planning consultancy, local authority, or similar environment
• Strong track record of managing complex planning applications and appeals across a range of sectors
• Excellent working knowledge of the English planning system, national policy (NPPF), and local development plans
• Proven ability to manage client relationships and lead project teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presenting at committee
• Full UK driving licence

What We Offer

• Salary of £48,000 - £58,000, dependent on experience
• Hybrid/flexible working arrangements
• Professional subscriptions and CPD support (RTPI membership, training budget)
• Clear progression pathway towards Associate/Director level
• Central Bristol office location with good transport links
• Pension scheme, private healthcare, and other standard benefits