Senior Planning Officer

The Planner; Chichester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Holiday entitlement 26–31 days

Flexi-time

Working from home

Health & wellbeing programmes

Cycle to work

Professional subscription fee paid

Training opportunities

Staff awards

Job summary

The Planner Jobs Redactive Publishing Limited is recruiting a Senior Planning Officer in the SDNP Development Management team within Chichester District Council. You will manage a varied range of proposals, mentor junior colleagues, present items to Planning Committee and lead on appeals.

Required: post-qualification experience of at least three years and a track record in complex planning matters. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including a defined benefits pension, generous holiday,

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years post-qualification experience.
• Experience handling complex planning matters in National Parks or National Landscapes.
• Ability to mentor junior team members and work with multiple teams.

Responsibilities

• Mentor junior members of the Development Management team.
• Present planning items to Planning Committee.
• Take a leading role in appeals and secure high-quality development.
• Handle urban and rural planning matters including heritage and ecology.

Skills

Mentor junior staff

Present to Planning Committee

Lead on appeals

Deal with complex planning matters

Customer care

Education

Planning degree or equivalent

Job description

Are you looking for a new career opportunity or to broaden your planning experience with the challenges of working in a District which not only has a thriving economy and pressures for growth, but also covers part of the South Downs National Park, the natural beauty of the Chichester Harbour National Landscape and a rich and varied heritage, including the historic city of Chichester?

Chichester District is a highly attractive place to live and work, home to many historic towns and villages, surrounded by beautiful countryside. Centred on the historic cathedral city of Chichester, it is a large district stretching from the south coast to the Surrey border and includes a large part of the South Downs National Park and the tranquil Chichester Harbour National Landscape.

The Council has a busy planning service dealing with a varied range of development management and planning enforcement work. This includes providing planning advice; dealing with planning applications and appeals; and planning enforcement. We have three area application teams, including a team that deals specifically with sites within the South Downs National Park (SDNP); a separate enforcement team; and a central administration team. All of the applications teams deal with a range of major and minor developments.

About the role

As a Senior Planning Officer within the SDNP Development Management team you will deal with an exciting and varied range of proposals, you will be responsible for mentoring junior members of the team, presenting items to Planning Committee and taking a leading role in appeals. You should have a minimum of three years post qualification experience and have previous experience of dealing with complex planning matters typically found in a National Park or National Landscape including urban and rural planning, protected landscapes, heritage and ecology. However, we have an excellent track record of supporting professional development and will support the right candidate to take a step up to a senior planning officer role.

We are looking for planning professionals with a positive attitude who can be tasked with securing the highest quality development while meeting the growing needs of our communities. You will be joining a team of committed and enthusiastic planners, with a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. You will be expected to demonstrate a high regard for performance and customer care, while securing high quality development.

Employee benefits include:

• Excellent defined benefits Pension Scheme
• Minimum 26 days holiday going up to 31 days after 5 years (or before with previous service) plus paid Bank Holidays
• Flexi-time (available for most positions) - potential to build up an extra 12 days leave a year
• Flexible working arrangements including working from home and 9-day fortnight options
• Employee Assistance Programme for staff and their relatives
• Cycle to Work Scheme/Car and Cycle Loan Scheme/discounted city centre parking/ Lease Car Scheme
• Health & Wellbeing initiatives including free health checks and free eye tests plus subsidised leisure centre membership
• Payment of your main professional subscription fee.
• Training and development opportunities – including funding of professional qualification training
• Staff Awards Scheme

Chichester District Council has a commitment to Equality of Opportunity in Employment. If you have a disability which makes it difficult for you to complete our application form please contact the HR team to assist you.

Closing Date: 5th November 2026

Interview date: Between 11th and 13th November 2026