Principal Planning Officer

Are you an existing Principal Planning Officer looking for an excellent opportunity to broaden your experience and knowledge, or are you an experienced, highly motivated planner seeking to take the next step in your planning career? Are you looking to be part of a dedicated and friendly service, working in interesting and valued urban and rural environments? Then this role in our Planning Policy team is for you.

Tunbridge Wells is a great place to live, do business and visit. The Council has a clear, coherent, and powerful vision for the future set out in our Building a Better Borough Council Plan which sets out the priorities for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

We have a flexible approach throughout our Planning Service, which is to support staff as they develop, providing opportunities to broaden and deepen their experience and skills to progress their career in planning. This role will initially be based in our Planning Policy team however, there will be opportunity to work within the Development Management team, depending on the business needs of the Service and the career aspirations of the successful candidate. 

We are interested in hearing from positive, enthusiastic, and conscientious candidates with excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills; you will be well organised and able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.

The Council has a new, emerging Local Plan currently at Examination, with the Inspectors Report anticipated to be received around January - March 2025. Once the Local Plan is adopted, the Council will begin work on a Local Plan Review to seek ways of meeting its full growth needs, particularly housing growth. We are also in the early stages of preparing a Town Centre Plan for Royal Tunbridge Wells; the postholder will work on both of these, as well as emerging Neighbourhood Plans.

Benefits include flexible, hybrid working, 26 days annual leave (increasing to 29 days after 5 years continuous Local Government service and 34 days after 30 years continuous Local Government service), plus additional time in December when the Council closes between Christmas and New Year.  Membership of the Local Government (CARE – Career Average (Revalued Earnings) Pension Scheme, Membership of professional body, as well as invaluable training opportunities for continuing professional development and free town centre parking. 

To find out more take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification below.  For an informal discussion about this post, you can contact Ellen Gilbert, Planning Policy Manager on 01892 554059 or email ellen.gilbert@tunbridgewells.gov.uk, or Carlos Hone, Head of Planning Services on 01892 554458 or email carlos.hone@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

To stay up to date with our latest vacancies and what it’s like to work here you can follow us on twitter @TWBC_Jobs and LinkedIn @TWellsCouncil

Closing Date:                Midnight Sunday 12 January 2024