Senior Planning Officer

We are looking to appoint a Senior Planning Officer, ideally with experience of dealing with small scale major applications, to join a multi-disciplinary, motivated and friendly Development Management Team. Working for two authorities creates the opportunity to build your knowledge on a range of planning applications and to help shape and deliver against our ambitious growth agenda whilst also protecting our strong built and natural environment.

We have a lot to deliver, handling around 4,000 planning applications each year across a diverse area of urban communities, rural villages, and vibrant market towns. We are progressing significant housing and commercial developments alongside essential infrastructure, including large-scale residential schemes within Broadland’s Growth Triangle, key employment sites such as enterprise zones, and the delivery of our newly adopted Greater Norwich Local Plan.

We are therefore looking for a motivated ambitious team player to work within one of our area teams, where you will play a vital role in helping to create exceptional places to live and work for our residents.

• Initiate and negotiate action with developers, applicants, and other stakeholders on planning proposals (both pre-application and planning applications).
• Work with stakeholders to actively resolve complex and/or controversial issues and problems associated with your planning applications.
• Prepare written reports and recommendations to development management/planning committee, prepare appeal statements and act as a witness at informal hearings.
• Build and develop effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and provide information and advice to elected members, agents, applicants and the general public in writing, face to face and by telephone.

You will hold a degree in Planning or a related discipline and be a Chartered Member of the RTPI, or within one year of achieving membership.

You will have comprehensive knowledge of planning legislation and current developments, along with proven experience in planning and development management, and the ability to address challenges in a constructive and responsive manner.

Able to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, you will work collaboratively across disciplines to achieve shared objectives. You will be a skilled negotiator and influencer, capable of preparing and presenting specialist advice on complex issues, and responding to subsequent enquiries with fairness, tact and impartiality. You will need to be able to travel independently across locations in the course of your duties.

Ideally, you will have experience of dealing with small-scale major applications.