Neighbourhood planning growth prompts Devon recruitment

East Devon District Council is looking to recruit a neighbourhood planning officer to tackle increased workload generated by the drawing up of a flurry of neighbourhood plans.

The new postholder will help ensure plans pass through formal statutory stages and meet legal tests and requirements, provide technical planning support and commissioning studies and assessments to support the production of plans.

Planning policy manager Matt Dickins told Planning: “A lot of parishes in East Devon are designated as neighbourhood areas and we need extra staff to fulfil our duties.

“This area has many active, well-informed people and professionals who are concerned about their locality and the environment. Neighbourhood plans give them a greater sense of ownership.”

Dickins said his team, including two full-time planning officers, two part-time senior planning officers and a full-time policy manager, dealt with around 20 neighbourhood planning areas, with other areas ready to submit plans.

“There's a lot of demand for technical background information and also for input on areas such as how to word a questionnaire or consultation document.”

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