Principal Planning Officer

Lead on complex development and enforcement cases in a unique urban landscape where we're all in to shape balanced outcomes for our communities.

Working style: you will be based in the Borough for three days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. You will be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.

Three distinct roles are available – two in Development Management, including our innovative Fast Track Team, and one in our Planning Enforcement Team – each requiring a vital leadership role within our service.

If you focus on Development Management, you will lead highly complex planning applications and major projects from the initial pre‑application stage through to final determination. Your day‑to‑day work will involve evaluating development proposals, undertaking thorough site visits, negotiating complex schemes often valued at many millions of pounds, and securing significant financial contributions through section 106 legal agreements.

Alternatively, joining the Planning Enforcement team means taking charge of the borough’s most complex enforcement investigations, assessing alleged breaches of planning control, and instructing planning solicitors to clear pathways for formal enforcement actions or legal prosecutions.

Across all three positions you will provide direct supervision, instruction, and technical mentoring to senior and planning officers within your team. You will review recommendations, exercise delegated powers, and ensure that all report drafting maintains exceptional standards of quality and accuracy.

You will routinely represent the Development Management service at planning committees – drafting, checking, and presenting articulate reports – and prepare comprehensive appeal statements to act as the Council’s expert representative at public inquiries, hearings, and in court. Strong relationship management is central to the role; you will actively engage with applicants and agents, guide statutory bodies, respond to councillor and resident enquiries, and deputise for your Team Leader during their absence to maintain high service delivery standards.

You must hold a degree in town planning (or an equivalent professional qualification) and be eligible for full membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). This must be backed by significant planning experience, a substantial portion of which must have been gained handling major and complex applications within a development management or planning enforcement environment.

You will bring an excellent working knowledge of current planning legislation, national policy, and formal appeal procedures, alongside practical experience supervising, mentoring, or leading other planning professionals.

Your technical background must be balanced by a highly methodical, structured, and thorough approach to detailed work, giving you the ability to prioritise and effectively manage a heavy workload under tight deadlines without impacting quality.

You must possess exceptional interpersonal skills and communication capabilities, enabling you to construct concise, persuasive arguments both in written reports and during formal presentations to committees and community forums. We look for collaborative professionals who can build mutual confidence, utilise coaching and mentoring to build capacity in others, and employ strong negotiation or conflict‑resolution skills to deliver constructive professional challenges whenever service delivery standards are not met.

Additionally, you should demonstrate an understanding of historic buildings and conservation areas, a commitment to equal opportunities, and a clear alignment with our core values of respect, integrity, and putting communities first.

New hires will normally start at the minimum of the pay scale. However, a higher starting salary may be negotiated where a candidate demonstrates exceptional skills, knowledge, or experience.

Employees receive annual salary increments until they reach the top of the pay scale, as well as any agreed cost‑of‑living pay awards.

Interviews for these positions will take place in person at Kensington Town Hall week commencing 17th August.

We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.

We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices.

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.