Planning Officer

Salary: £30,702 - £36,723 per annum

Permanent Contract

37 Hours per Week

Are you motivated and excited to progress a career in planning? Are you looking to develop your skills and knowledge further whilst working on a variety of applications and working with officers on key major projects for commercial, residential and mixed use developments? An opportunity has arisen for such a role within a Planning Authority with a strong performance ethos and ambitious targets for over 30,000 houses in the new Plan period.

We are seeking someone with a strong interest in planning and development, with good quality presentation skills and a strong customer focus to join the Development Management Team as a Planning Officer. You will need to be able to make assessments of sites and cases, consistently and competently write reports) and be comfortable dealing with customers face to face and via correspondence. Site visits and acting as a representative of the Council will form an integral part of this varied role.

The job will be wide-ranging and exciting, with an opportunity to contribute to all aspects of development management, managing your own caseload while working with others to enable the Authority in managing its statutory planning function within the Borough. The team is fast paced and seeks to drive forward quality in all sectors to contribute to Thurrock’s place making agenda by building a borough for all communities. You will be part of a sociable and supportive team with excellent opportunities to develop your understanding and for progression.

Key experience & skills: 

• Evidence of working in a Local Authority Planning department is essential;
• Interest in Development Management and wider planning issues;
• Town Planning Degree, related qualification or evidence of similar training/experience;
• Ability to work with limited supervision on own case load and part of a team on bigger projects;

Communication and negotiation skills to deal with complex situations.

Please note that we are currently out to formal consultation to review existing allowances that some staff receive. Allowances offered may be subject to change depending on the outcome of formal consultation.

Closing Date: 15 August 2021

Our vision – An ambitious and collaborative community which is proud of its heritage and excited by its diverse opportunities and future.

Thurrock is an exciting place to live and work. We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have retail and leisure that is among the best, with the magnificent intu Lakeside, and breath-taking countryside all around. There is over 1,000 acres of land ready for commercial development and there are likely to be 30,000 new homes built with transport links that can get you into London and other parts of the UK quickly and easily.

We are an area of massive growth; £6bn has already been invested by the private sector in Thurrock. We have seen 7,000 new jobs created, with a further 30,000 anticipated in the next 20 years, and 1,170 new businesses in the borough, with leading centres in ports and logistics, retail and creative industries.

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Thurrock Council is committed to the principles of agile working and seeks to empower our employees, wherever service needs allow, to work flexibly in order to optimise productivity and enhance performance

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification please follow the link below:

https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/sites/default/files/assets/documents/planning_officer_-_development_management_-_jpps_june_2021.pdf