Principal Planning Officer - Policy

Are you a Principal Planning Officer or an experienced Senior Planning Officer looking for an excellent opportunity to broaden your experience and knowledge in a new environment with a friendly and supportive team?

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.

What we offer

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 be based in our Planning Policy team however, there is opportunity to work across the Planning Service, depending on the business needs of the service and the career aspirations of the successful candidate. 

Who you will be

You will be an experienced Senior Planning Officer or a Principal Planning Officer and you will have a membership with the Royal Town Planning Institute or be eligible for membership with the Royal Town Planning Institute. You will have experience of undertaking work in Planning Policy, such as taking part in examinations, presenting to Members Working Groups and leading in the preparation of documents for the Local Plan.  You will be a a positive, enthusiastic, and conscientious individual 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.

What we have plannned

The Council has a new, emerging Local Plan currently at Examination, with the Inspectors Report anticipated to be received around 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

• 26 Days Annual Leave increasing to 29 after 5 years’ continuous service, plus bank holidays and statutory days at Christmas.
• Membership with Local Government Pension Scheme - 19.7% Employer Contribution 
• Career development and training opportunities
• Access to eye care vouchers and VDU Glasses
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Access to EAP Services 24/7
• Agile/Hybrid working arrangement (After successful completion of probation)

We love to hear from those who are interested and so welcome you to get in contact if you would like to learn more about the postion. Our contact details are: 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 find out more take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification below.  

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 19 February 2025