Senior Planner - Development Management

Norwich City Council; Norwich; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

26 days holiday (increases with length

Additional statutory day leave

Occupational health support

Employee assistance

Job summary

Norwich City Council is seeking a highly motivated Senior Planner (Development Management) to lead a high-quality planning service in Norwich. You will handle statutory planning, provide expert advice, process applications, negotiate obligations, and present at committees.

The role requires leadership and collaboration across services and partner authorities. You will contribute to policy development, enforcement, and continuous improvement while mentoring junior staff.

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent ability to interpret plans, drawings, and data.
• Ability to negotiate, make sound planning judgments, and manage workload to meet deadlines.
• Commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.

Responsibilities

• Deliver full range of statutory planning and development management functions.
• Provide high-quality planning advice to applicants, agents, the public, councillors and stakeholders.
• Process and determine planning applications, negotiate amendments, secure planning obligations, and prepare reports and recommendations.
• Contribute to planning enforcement and assess unauthorised development.
• Support preparation and monitoring of spatial planning policies, including Local Development Framework.
• Present cases at committees and represent the Council at appeals and inquiries.
• Help develop service performance, systems, and workflow management.
• Mentor colleagues and deputise for the Development Management Team Leader when required.

Job description

Shape the Future of Norwich

Norwich City Council is looking for a highly motivated Senior Planner (Development Management) to play a leading role in delivering a high-quality, customer-focused planning service in one of the UK’s most historic and forward-thinking cities.

Job Description

As a Senior Planner (Development Management), you will:

• Work independently at a senior professional level to deliver the full range of statutory planning and development management functions.
• Provide high-quality planning advice to applicants, agents, the public, councillors, and other stakeholders.
• Process and determine planning applications, negotiate amendments, secure planning obligations, and prepare robust reports and recommendations.
• Contribute to planning enforcement by assessing unauthorised development and advising on appropriate actions.
• Support preparation, monitoring, and review of spatial planning policies, including work linked to the Local Development Framework.
• Present cases at Planning Applications Committee and represent the Council at appeals, hearings, and public inquiries.
• Help develop and improve service performance, systems, and workflow management.
• Assist in the informal supervision, mentoring, and training of Planners and deputise for the Development Management Team Leader when required.
• Work collaboratively across services, with partner authorities (including the Greater Norwich Growth Board), and support wider corporate priorities.
• Promote a culture of innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.

About You

You will be an experienced and confident planning professional who can operate effectively at a senior level. You will bring:

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Strong understanding of planning law, development management processes, spatial planning, sustainable development, and urban regeneration.
• Significant experience processing planning applications, writing reports, preparing appeal statements, negotiating planning obligations, and providing planning advice.
• Experience working with listed buildings and conservation issues.
• Familiarity with Environmental Impact Assessment, stakeholder engagement, and service performance requirements.

Skills Required

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present at committees and public meetings.
• Strong analytical abilities and confidence interpreting plans, drawings, and technical data.
• Ability to negotiate effectively, make sound planning judgments, and manage your own workload to meet deadlines.
• Commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.
• Ability to mentor colleagues and contribute positively to team development.
• Competence using standard office and specialist planning systems, including GIS.

Educational Requirements

Qualifications

• A postgraduate degree or diploma in Planning.
• Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI), or the ability and commitment to achieve it.

Why work for us

Our council is full of people who have chosen to work in local government because they want to help others and make a difference to their lives or the environment in which local people live.

To find out more about working and living in Norwich Home | Work in Norwich.

The council has a long and proud history of being a council that is keen to push the boundaries of what a district can achieve, to find out more about what it is like to work in local government visit Working in local government - #LocalGov Careers - Youth Employment UK

We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.

Norwich City Council offers the opportunity to work with great people who are passionate about promoting Norwich and the services the council provides. We also offer good career prospects with competitive rates of pay, generous holidays and working arrangements to suit all lifestyles.

Equal Opportunities Policy

The council is committed to a policy of equality opportunity in employment, in recruitment and the services we provide. Applications are considered on the basis of their suitability for the post regardless of sex, gender reassignment, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, marital status, domestic responsibilities, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. People with disabilities are guaranteed an interview provided they are suitably qualified and/or experienced.

Benefits

We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package and are proud to have the Living Wage accreditation. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.

• All employees are eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Paid holiday entitlement starts at 26 days per annum and increases with length of service to a maximum of 33 days per annum. This is pro rata for part-time employees
• In addition to the statutory public holidays, we grant an additional statutory day leave at Christmas
• Norwich City Council supports its employees through the provision of occupational health and employee assistance support