Join a dynamic council team as a Principal Planning Officer, leading on major developments and complex planning cases. This is a hybrid role with 1–2 office days per week, plus site visits and occasional evening committee meetings.
What You’ll Do:
- Take ownership of large-scale and complex planning applications, including negotiating Section 106 agreements and Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs).
- Provide expert guidance on pre-applications and ensure resilience and flexibility across the planning service.
- Act as the lead contact for contentious or high-profile cases, managing compliance and attending appeals hearings and public inquiries.
- Collaborate with internal teams, elected members, Essex County Council, local councils, and external stakeholders to drive planning outcomes.
- Prepare and present detailed reports to Area Planning Committees, District Planning Committee, and other key meetings.
- Represent the council as a witness at planning appeals and inquiries, providing professional evidence and insight.
Maintain accurate records across customer and back-office systems, ensuring data integrity and compliance with Data Protection principles.
What You’ll Bring:
- Degree in Planning or a related discipline.
- In-depth knowledge of planning legislation, policy, and procedures.
- Proven experience managing complex casework and advising on a wide range of planning matters.
- Confidence in enforcing planning legislation and handling contentious issues.
- Eligibility for RTPI membership or equivalent professional accreditation.
We would like to attract talent from all corners of the Property world for this role. Our commitment is to an equitable recruitment process so feel free to apply in any way that suits you, via WhatsApp, video message, CV, the more creative the better.
You can find my contact details below.
Mobile Number: 07378546945
Email: laura.haynes@oysterpartnership.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laurahaynes12066
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