About us

Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent involving urban, rural, and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we’re committed to attracting and retaining the very best. In recent times we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly flexible hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week, recognising that staff wellbeing and work life balance is high on our agenda.

The work you will be doing

We are looking for experienced Planning Officers to join our newly formed Planning Applications Team.

You will provide day to day leadership, mentoring and sign off to junior officers to ensure the delivery of a high-quality planning service, supporting and deputising for the Team Leader as required.

You will be expected to process a complex case load of planning applications and pre-application enquiries; monitoring development approvals and permissions; providing development advice to agents, developers, and landowners.

You will also prepare and present the Council’s case at appeals, inquiries, hearings, injunctions, Court Hearings and Examinations in Public commensurate to grade. You will prepare and present of reports to Planning Committee.

What you will bring to the role

You should be a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute or working towards it.

You should have excellent understanding of all types of planning applications with a good understanding of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

You will be expected to be able to give clear and concise advice and support to junior colleagues and technical staff in a mentoring capacity, including counter signing for sign off applications. You will have the ability to deal with a caseload of complex major applications and the ability to deal with major commercial development.

Additionally, you should have proven communication skills with colleagues, stakeholders, Parish Councils, Ward Members, and users of the service to achieve corporate objectives.

What we can offer

If you choose to join us in this interesting role, we will provide you with a great benefits package that includes a competitive salary, a car allowance of £1,000 and access to our desirable local Government Pension Scheme. We will also contribute to relocation expenses if relevant, and you will receive 30 days of annual leave, plus Bank Holidays and an extra time at Christmas. We want you to find the perfect work-life balance, so flexible working options will be considered, plus you will have access to a range of additional benefits such as discounts on high street chains and leisure centres, plus our cycle-to-work scheme. Above all else, you will find an inclusive and supportive working environment, in which your professional and personal wellbeing are important to us.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Ceri Williams, Chief Planning Officer on 01795 417116 or Carly Stoddart, Planning Consultant on 01795 417425.

To apply, please attach CV and suitability statement demonstrating how you meet the competencies for the role.

Closing date: 1 September 2024.

Interview date: w/c 9 September 2024.