Senior Planner​/Principal Planner

Position: Senior Planner / Principal Planner
Senior / Principal Planner

Location:

Knutsford
Working Pattern:
Hybrid
Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 plus benefits

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a specialist countryside planning consultancy in Cheshire with the appointment of a Senior / Principal Planner. This consultancy is recognised for delivering high-quality, well-reasoned planning advice underpinned by strong practical understanding and professional judgement.

The Opportunity

The Senior / Principal Planner will work across a diverse portfolio of countryside and rural planning projects, including:

Rural diversification and farm business developments
Estate planning and long-term land strategies
Planning appeals, certificates and enforcement matters
Complex countryside planning challenges
Residential developments of up to 100 dwellings
Commercial greenfield developments of up to 25 acres

The consultancy places clear emphasis on quality over volume, focusing on meaningful outcomes that support clients, rural businesses and communities.

The Role

The Senior / Principal Planner will take ownership of projects from initial enquiry through to determination, with responsibilities including:

Leading planning projects end-to-end
Developing clear, robust planning strategies
Explaining complex planning issues in a practical and accessible way
Preparing high-quality planning applications and supporting documents
Managing discussions with planning officers and external consultants
Working directly with clients on matters of personal and commercial importance
Contributing to a collaborative team structure that supports quality and wellbeing

About You

This role is suited to a Senior / Principal Planner who demonstrates:

Strong professional judgement and decision-making ability
Clear written and verbal communication skills
Emotional intelligence and client-focused thinking
Confidence in taking responsibility for work
A practical, grounded approach to planning

A purely rural background is not essential. MRTPI, RICS or equivalent experience is desirable but not mandatory where capability and professional maturity can be demonstrated.

What's on Offer

Competitive salary and benefits package
Hybrid working and flexibility
High levels of autonomy with structured support
A varied and engaging workload
Long-term progression opportunities for the right Senior / Principal Planner Interested?

The hiring manager is looking to meet with suitable candidates as soon as possible. If you meet the criteria above, please contact Josh Jones at Penguin Recruitment on (phone number removed) or email (url removed)