Planning Inspector

Could your next role be as a Planning Inspector?
Your career has been shaped by understanding how buildings, spaces and places work together. Now bring that expertise to decisions that shape entire communities.

The Planning Inspectorate is recruiting planning inspectors for local plans - and your architectural perspective is exactly what we need.

Salary:
Band 2 £ 63,859 | Band 3 £ 77,741

Why your background matters:
Local plans determine far more than housing numbers. They shape the quality of places – the relationship between buildings, streets and green spaces; how development responds to context; whether communities feel coherent or fragmented. Your trained eye for design quality, spatial relationships and placemaking brings critical expertise to these assessments.

• Examining whether local plans are sound and legally compliant
• Assessing design policies, site allocations and spatial strategies
• Conducting hearing sessions with councils, developers and communities
• Writing independent reports that shape how places develop

• Home-based role with genuine flexibility
• Part-time options available (minimum 0.5 FTE)
• 28.97% employer pension contribution
• Comprehensive training in planning law and procedures
• Work that connects design thinking to real community outcomes

Addressing your questions:
"Would I need to retrain as a planner?" No. Your RIBA chartered status qualifies you to apply. We provide full training in planning procedures and examination processes – your design expertise is the foundation we build on.

"I've spent years in practice – would that experience transfer?" Absolutely. Your experience evaluating schemes, understanding site constraints, and thinking spatially is directly relevant. Many inspectors find their previous professional lens enriches their assessment work.

"What about the travel?" Most of your work happens from home – reading submissions, analysing evidence, writing reports. You travel for hearing sessions and training, but these are scheduled in advance and we support flexible arrangements and cover the cost of your work-based travel.
Take the next step:
Find out more on our dedicated inspector recruitment hub.

The Planning Inspectorate plays a key role within the planning system, helping to deliver the government's objectives for sustainable development in a plan-led system. An important component of this is the delivery of local plan and infrastructure casework which helps to achieve the government's economic, social and environmental objectives. Our role is to conduct thorough, independent assessments of local plans, examining whether they are legally compliant and sound in line with national policy.

This independent scrutiny ensures communities have robust planning frameworks that can effectively manage growth and development.

The Planning Inspectorate, as part of the Civil Service, is committed to understanding, respecting and representing as broad a range of views and backgrounds as we have in UK society. We know that diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to an effective, modern Civil Service and Planning Inspectorate. We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us regardless of background.

Our passion for diversity and equality means creating a work environment for all employees that is welcoming, respectful, engaging, and enriched with opportunities for personal and professional development.