Principal Planning Officer

Principal Planning Officer
Pay Band N / SCP 36-37 - £47,181 - £48,226 per annum
0546

Knowsley Council is an award‑winning Local Authority, named Local Authority of the Year in the Municipal Journal Awards 2024.

We are an Accredited employer under the Liverpool City Region Fair Employment Charter, demonstrating that we are committed to the principle of fair employment and we are dedicated to providing a healthy, fair, inclusive and just workplace.

Come join us and be part of our success.

The Government’s ambition, alongside Knowsley’s commitment to economic growth and housing delivery, makes this an exciting time to further your career in town planning here in Knowsley.

Knowsley is about to embark on the second phase of its journey to deliver a sustainable future for the Borough.

Knowsley has an enviable track record of delivery with developments such as Halsnead Garden Village and East Halewood now underway. As a consequence of our development activity over the last decade, the Borough’s population has increased by 9%, and there are approximately 1,000 new businesses which have been fuelled by the adoption of our Local Plan in 2016. Despite our last Local Plan only being adopted 8 years ago, we are due to soon commence a new Local Plan, which will be equally as ambitious as our last one.

The next phase of our growth will include the delivery of a £200m regeneration of Huyton town centre (including a new council HQ), the continued development and expansion of Halewood, Kirkby and Prescot Town Centres and the identification and delivery of new housing and employment sites across Knowsley.

As a Principal Planning Officer in the Development Management team, you will have opportunities to shape and influence Knowsley’s future growth by dealing with some of the strategic applications the Council will be considering. You will provide expert advice to Members and stakeholders and contribute to strategic growth initiatives. You will also mentor junior officers and help drive service improvements.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience of handling complex and major applications to work in a friendly, proactive, results‑driven environment. You will have excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure.

At Knowsley Council, we will consider requests for flexible working. For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, working from home, compressed hours, and part‑time.

We welcome applications from residents and beyond, regardless of background, belief, or identity, recognising the value that diversity brings to our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities, as we acknowledge their under representation in our workforce.

See the benefits of working for Knowsley MBC:

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applicants.

At Knowsley, we value our applicants and want them to feel well‑informed and welcomed. If you have any questions about this specific job role or what it is like to work at Knowsley, please contact:

Alan Kilroe, email: , Tel:  or

Jo Sheridan, email: , Tel:

Closing Date:
Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

How to apply:

For further details and an application pack, please click on the 'apply button'