Principal Planner (Development Management)

Principal Planner (Development Management)

Bromsgrove District Council

Grade 8 (SCP 30 - 34)

£33,782 - £37,890 per annum

37 hours per week

Twelve months fixed term contract (with possibility of an extension)

Who are we?

Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council are neighbouring Authorities in north Worcestershire.  The Development Management team is a shared planning service between the two Authorities, with Bromsgrove District Council as the host.  The post is primarily based in Redditch.  We are an enthusiastic, dedicated and friendly team comprising highly experienced Planners and those at the very beginning of their planning career.    

Where are we?

We are located in North Worcestershire, between Herefordshire and Warwickshire. We are accessible from major motorways, trains and bus services.  Bromsgrove is an attractive rural district, with an ancient market town at its centre.   Redditch was formerly a market town until 1964 when it was designated as a New Town; a status it maintained up until 1985.  The Borough has an urban north and a rural south.

What do we want you to do?

You will deal with a varied and interesting caseload of predominantly major and minor schemes, drawing upon your enthusiasm and experience of delivering and managing a wide range of applications and projects. You will be interpreting the complexity of permitted development legislation and interacting with a number of agencies and organisations, together with other departments across the two Councils.  Your planning knowledge will help us to protect and enhance an environment of both intense Green Belt pressure and a traditional manufacturing landscape.

You will provide direction and an active mentoring role to our Planning Officers and Planning Assistants to ensure the delivery of the Council’s objectives, including the planning growth proposed in our adopted Local Plans.  This buddy system is an integral part of our ethos to continually develop technical expertise within the team and to develop the next generation of Planners across the District and Borough.

The posts also offer an exciting opportunity to actively shape the planning service at leadership level.  You will be part of key decisions affecting how we react and respond to local and national change.  You will also be involved in harnessing the future direction of the team.

The Development Management team are predominantly home-based, with a flexible hybrid approach to working that allows opportunities to work from an office environment at the Council offices in Bromsgrove and Redditch (subject to complying with current advice and guidance).

What do you need to be shortlisted?

You must meet all of the following essential criteria:

• Educated to Degree level or above
• Have Full Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute
• Have at least three years experience in planning work, including at least one year in a Development Management setting

Why should you join us?

To improve and build upon your planning experience within a supportive and progressive unit, whilst being part of an ongoing period of transition and challenge for our busy and dynamic department.  This is an exciting opportunity to join a fantastic, family-friendly team that consistently delivers high quality development and outstanding standards of customer service.   

A strong part of our approach is to provide direction and an active mentoring role to continually develop technical expertise within the team, particularly at the Planning Assistant level.  This includes an emphasis on encouraging and supporting CPD.  Our aim is to develop and grow the next generation of Planners across the District and Borough.

We also offer the following benefits:

• Full payment of RTPI subscription fees
• The certainty of two adopted Local Plans (January 2017) in Development Management decision-making
• Home working focus, with supplied IT equipment and dedicated IT assistance
• Flexible working scheme, which includes the ability to work flexible hours and a range of other flexible and part-time working patterns
• 23 days annual leave rising to 28 after five years local government service plus statutory holidays and one fixed day per annum
• Support for continuing professional development and progression
• Smart, modern offices in Redditch Town Centre located within walking distance to bus and train stations and major retailers
• Historic offices in Bromsgrove Town Centre located within walking distance to the bus station and a variety of major and independent retailers
• Free and secure staff parking at both the Bromsgrove and Redditch offices
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme
• Use of 24 hour employee assistance programme offering free legal and personal advice
• Car, technology, Cycle2Work, Healthcare salary sacrifice opportunities

Want more information?

If you require more details on the duties of the post please contact Dale Birch, Development Management Manager, on 01527 881341 or email d.birch@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk.

If you experience difficulties applying please contact HR Support on human.resources@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk

To apply please complete an application form (template attached) and send to human.resources@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk 

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is midnight on Monday 29 November 2021.

The interviews will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams week commencing 6 December 2021 (alternative dates can be made available if requested).

If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, you should assume that unfortunately your application was not successful on this occasion.