Senior Planning Ecologist

Cheltenham Borough Council; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a professional to support their Development Management team on biodiversity net gain (BNG) initiatives. The role involves advising on planning applications, ensuring compliance with biodiversity requirements, and providing ecological support as needed. This position emphasizes proactive problem solving and collaboration with applicants to navigate BNG-related challenges effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide support and advice on biodiversity net gain through the planning application process.
• Act as consultee on applicable planning applications, offering professional advice.
• Proactively identify and resolve biodiversity net gain-related issues during the planning process.
• Provide general ecological support and review ecological assessments when necessary.

Job description

Overview

Cheltenham Borough Council is a multi-award winning local authority with a strong Place Shaping role. The Council is increasingly involved directly in regeneration and growth initiatives to drive economic growth.

BNG context

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a way of creating and improving natural habitats. BNG makes sure development has a measurably positive impact on biodiversity, compared to what was there before development takes place. From January 2024 developers of major schemes (April 2024 for many other non-major applications) must deliver biodiversity net gain of at least 10% ideally on site, but other options are available.

Role and responsibilities

• Your principal role will be to provide the council’s Development Management team (those that directly deal with planning applications) with the support and advice that they need to secure BNG through the planning application process.
• You will act as consultee on those applications to which BNG is applicable and provide a range of professional advice including (but not limited to) the adequacy of submitted BNG matrices, proposed BNG delivery approaches (on site/off site/others etc.), the BNG Plan as well as the discharge of relevant conditions and legal obligations.
• You will be a solution-focussed individual, proactive in identifying any BNG related issues as early in the process as feasible and positive/supportive to applicants seeking to find solutions to those issues wherever possible.
• The primary focus of this role is BNG support, which will be your priority, but you will also be required to provide other/general ecological support as required. This may involve the review of submitted ecological assessments as well as the review of material submitted to discharge ecological conditions.

Requirements / Additional information

The description notes the expectation for BNG delivery, with potential involvement in related ecological work. Please ensure this aligns with the role as advertised by the council.