Planning Officer

The role

Are you a driven, detail-oriented professional with a passion for shaping urban spaces? Do you have experience in assessing commercial and mixed-use developments a variety of planning applications? Southwark Council is looking for YOU to join our Development Management Service! What you’ll do:

• Manage a diverse caseload of planning applications for complex householders, single dwellings, and some small commercial schemes.
• Assess planning merits, interpret development plans, and prepare clear, well-written reports recommending approval or refusal.
• Provide expert planning advice, handle planning applications, and contribute to planning policy, and transport strategies.
• Help shape Southwark's future through innovative and community-focused planning, advising stakeholders on proposals and processes.
• Handle appeals, draft high-standard decision notices, and provide expert guidance.
• Be part of a team that values growth, collaboration, and excellence to deliver high-quality, client-focused outcomes for stakeholders.

Key Requirements: 

We're looking for a motivated Planning Officer who is ready to take ownership of a variety of planning application and commercial development tasks. Ideally, you bring a blend of the following to the role:

• Has a degree in Town and Country Planning (or a similar qualification).
• Brings experience in development management, including assessing planning applications in residential and commercial areas.
• Enthusiastic about creating sustainable and vibrant spaces that benefit our community.
• Skilled at understanding technical plans and documents.
• Able to explain complex planning issues clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• Is confident in writing appeal statements and providing practical advice on development proposals.
• Possesses a strong working knowledge of the UK planning system, with excellent communication skills and an aptitude for interpreting plans.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with competing priorities.
• This role offers flexible home working blended with travel into our London Bridge office 3 days a week.

Additional salary details

These are exciting times for the London Borough of Southwark with many developments taking place along the River Thames, at the Council estates at Elephant and Castle, at the former Surrey Docks at Canada Water, and through to Peckham and Camberwell.About Southwark

As a council, we are successful, passionate, and forward thinking. We are committed to tackling injustice and inequalities and rebuilding our local economy following the pandemic, ensuring that our residents and businesses are central to everything we do.

As a diverse central London borough, Southwark faces a range of challenges, which we aim to address through the delivery of the Borough Plan. We are looking for candidates to join our team to help us continue to make Southwark an inclusive borough for all our communities.   

Southwark Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We monitor our recruitment practices to check that we are employing people in a fair and non-discriminatory way. We also publish annual workforce reports. We are proud to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough.

Benefits and more information

Working for Southwark Council – SouthwarkSalary: £44,430 - £51,663

Recruitment timetable

Application Closing Date: 11.59pm on the 13th of December 2024

Interview Date: 15th of January 2025

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role, in which case we will move the key dates for the process. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.Unfortunately, we are unable to consider applications from candidates who currently hold a work visa or require visa sponsorship.

Attachments

• Job Description & Person Specification