Cherwell expands planning team as workload increases

Cherwell District Council is expanding its planning team due to an increase in the amount of work it is facing from a range of major developments in the area.

As part of this, it is looking for a principal planning officer to concentrate on dealing with planning appeals.

The area, in North Oxfordshire, is facing high levels of growth, but includes a number of conservation areas, listed buildings and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Jenny Barker, team leader at the council’s planning department, told Planning: “We have seen a rise in the amount of work we have got.

“We have a large number of major developments coming through the system at Banbury, Bicester, Kingsmere, and Upper Heyford.”

The council expects to appoint an experienced planner with a background of dealing with planning appeals at hearings, to primarily focus on dealing with appeals.

However, it added that processing of major planning applications and enforcement cases may also be included in the role dependent on workload.

Barker said that the council was expecting shortly to advertise for another principal planning officer in a further expansion of the team.

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Image of Banbury: Martin Clark, geograph.org