Senior / Principal Planner (Development Management)

Ashford - The gateway to Europe!

Ashford has an enviable position as a main hub into Europe, with direct transport links to Paris, Brussels, and of course central London, there is more than meets the eye to this area.

Ashford is going through an exciting transformation with large urban extensions and other leisure and commercial developments currently happening.  The town centre is going through major regeneration work with a £90M extension to the famous Ashford Designer Outlet, a new cinema complex, hotel, restaurants and hundreds of new apartments planned, plus a brand new Curious Brew HQ.  Ashford have already delivered a new college and Commercial Quarter, a mixed-use development of up to 590,000 square feet of prime-location office space.  It’s easy to see why Ashford is a popular choice and one of the fastest growing places in the South East.

A thriving and dynamic town in the heart of Kent’s most enchanting countryside, Ashford offers an easy pace of life with an exciting programme of development, making it a tempting place to live and work.

Well connected?

Absolutely, travelling by Train you can get from Ashford to London in just 38 minutes.  Other towns in Kent are also within easy commutable reach, Tonbridge (29 mins), Hastings (38 mins), Canterbury (15mins) and South London (Ebbsfleet) in just 19 minutes!

Excellent, and improving, road networks in Ashford provide ease of travel into the town centre and to the many local tourist attractions, the beautiful countryside and coastal areas.

The opportunity

With a modern office based a couple of minutes from the train station, we offer a flexible working environment for a Senior/Principal Planning Officer within Development Management.

You will be responsible to the Joint Development Control Manager and assist in providing a high quality, customer-focused planning service, by acting as or managing other case officers in handling a range of planning applications, including the negotiation of more complex planning agreements from pre-application discussions to implementation, within agreed timescales.

You will also be investigating alleged breaches of planning control, including more complex matters, pursuing the most appropriate and effective remedial action.

Who are we looking for?

Ideally, an existing Senior or Principal Planning Officer who is a member of the RTPI.

You will need to:

• Demonstrate that you have significant experience of planning application and/or enforcement processes and the administration of planning controls and regulations.
• Have had substantial and successful experience of acting as the case officer for several challenging and major applications raising complex local issues and requiring a high degree of professionalism and sensitivity in handling with public, politicians, applicants etc.

• Show extensive experience of the ability to work with internal and external partners to deliver excellent results and high quality development outcomes.
• Have led s106 negotiations on a major application in a timely and professional way to deliver excellent results
• Have had significant experience of attending Planning Committee and assisting with leading/presenting their applications and those of the rest of the team in a highly professional and accessible manner.
• Have preferably held Membership of the RTPI for at least 3 years, or have such eligibility.
• Have prepared and given evidence with a high degree of competence at Public Inquiries and hearings.
• Have had successful experience of working on Corporate development- related projects within ABC.

Naturally, you will have the ability to organise your own workload, work to tight deadlines and it is essential that you are a car user.

Key Benefits

• A supportive employer with a strong focus on career development and training.
• The opportunity to work in a dynamic environment with some truly exciting projects.
• Generous relocation package and details are available on request (up to a maximum of £5,000).
• Flexible working arrangements such as home working and compressed hours.
• Annual leave entitlement is 33 to 34 days including bank holidays.
• Cycle To Work Scheme.
• Local Government Pension Scheme from day one.
• My Ashford Rewards, make great savings on food shopping, entertainment, high street and online stores, days out and eating out.
• Essential user car allowance or lease car subsidy equivalent to £3,040.

Key dates

Interviews will be held on:

16^th,17^th, 30^th and 31^st August

How to apply?

For an informal and confidential discussion on this role, please call us now on (0) 20 7859 4246. Our dedicated and manned hotline is open between 8AM - 8PM. Please do not hesitate to get in touch, we are looking forward to hearing from you. Email enquiries can also be sent to rob@lewisdavey.com

Lewis Davey is a specialist Town Planning Consultancy and has been appointed to manage the application process for all candidates. With over 15 years of Planning Recruitment experience and our ability to obtain direct answers to your queries means that you can get the information you need to start your application immediately. We are here to help.