Urban Design Officer

South East Employers; Winchester; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Winchester seeks an Urban Design Officer to join the Historic Environment Team. The role involves providing design advice for planning applications, shaping masterplans, and supporting sustainable development projects. Candidates should possess a qualification in urban design or related fields and ideally have experience in historic conservation. The position allows for hybrid working and offers various employee benefits including paid healthcare and professional memberships.

Benefits

Hybrid working pattern

Free parking across the district

Paid private healthcare

Paid membership fees to professional body

Local Government pension scheme with employer contributions

Wellbeing support programmes

Discounted public transport and bus travel

Volunteering opportunities

Qualifications

• Several years’ experience in design for major development projects.
• Experience working with stakeholders in urban and community contexts.
• Ability to negotiate and advocate for high-quality design.

Responsibilities

• Provide urban design advice for planning applications and appeals.
• Shape the development of masterplans for significant projects.
• Advise elected members during committee meetings.

Skills

Urban design

Collaboration

Plan advocacy

Education

Qualification in urban design, architecture or town planning

Experience in historic building conservation

Job description

• Full Time
• Permanent
• Winchester, Hampshire
• Posted 1 day ago
• 39,152.00 - 44,075.00 £ / Year
• Closes: 24 February 2026

Website Winchester City Council

Closing Date: Midnight 24/02/2026

Provisional Interview date: During the week commencing 09/03/2026

Contract Type: Full Time (37 hours) / Permanent

To apply, please click ‘Apply’ above or send your CV and covering letter to [e-mail].

Winchester City Council has an exciting opportunity within its Planning Department to join our specialist Historic Environment Team. We are seeking an ambitious Urban Design Officer to assess and shape the most interesting and complex development projects in our district. The successful candidate will work widely with different departments across the Council and will be a key player in strategic projects.

Winchester is a former capital of England, the cradle of the nation. An urban area with a 2000-year history, a precious heritage that demands people of the highest calibre to care for it and to plan its future. Our district includes not only the cathedral city of Winchester, but also smaller towns and villages, beautiful countryside and a large part of the South Downs National Park. You will have the opportunity to use your expertise to shape and support ambitious sustainable development projects across the district.

The Historic Environment Team is a small but influential team within the Built Environment Service, made up of specialists in archaeology, historic buildings and urban design. We’re supportive and highly collaborative; we aspire to high standards in throughout our work. We are committed to your professional development and growth, while maximising work/life balance.

This vacancy has arisen through the promotion of the existing post holder within another council.

The Role

As An Urban Design Officer, You Will

• Provide urban design advice for pre-applications, planning applications and appeals
• Guide the Council’s Major Projects and New Homes teams
• Shape the development of masterplans and development frameworks for significant projects
• Contribute to the production of design codes, local planning policies and guidance documents
• Coordinate the Design Review Panel
• Advise elected members, informally and through committee meetings and presentations
• Support and train planning officers in urban design to ‘grow our own’

About You

Our ideal candidate would be a qualified urban designer, architect, landscape architect or town planner with several years’ experience in design for major development projects.

We have a good deal of work in historic environments and sensitive landscapes, so experience in historic building conservation and working with protected landscapes is desirable (although not essential).

What is most important to us is finding someone with the right fit, to work proactively and adaptably with us to negotiate and advocate for high quality design in new development. The right candidate will understand what it means to collaborate and engage effectively with a customer and our community stakeholders.

Our offices are based in the heart of Winchester and the successful candidates can benefit from:

• a hybrid working pattern, with up to 50% of your time working remotely
• free parking across the district
• paid Membership fees to your professional body
• paid private healthcare (with optional upgrades)
• Local Government pension scheme, with 18% employer contributions
• a supportive workplace culture, wellbeing support programmes
• discounted bus travel and public transport loans
• volunteering opportunities

If this sounds like the role for you, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Daniel Ayre, Historic Environment Team Leader, for an informal chat about the role on 01962848084 or by email to [e-mail].

Winchester City Council are unable to provide sponsorship for visa applications.

To apply for this job please visit accesspeople.accessacloud.com.