Principal Planning Officer

As a Principal Planning Officer in Development Management you will play a leading role in determining the Council's planning applications and helping to meet our objectives of delivering sustainable development within Cheshire East.

We are looking for a professional team player with the skills and experience to successfully manage major planning applications and to mentor a small team of planning officers. We provide a flexible and supportive working environment with hybrid options to work from home and the office, and a range of employee benefits.
We are seeking a Principal Planning Officer to join our high performing Development Management team, which is at the heart of delivering high quality sustainable development in Cheshire East. Our unique geography and heritage provides an unrivalled variety of planning experience, ranging from small scale rural schemes to urban regeneration, housing developments and strategic infrastructure projects.

As a Principal Planning Officer you will manage a caseload of major planning applications and will be a mentor to more junior members of the team. You will have responsibility to negotiate with developers at pre-application stage, present to planning committee and represent the council at Appeal. You must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with all stakeholders in the planning process. Your training and professional development will be fully supported.

You must be organised with excellent report writing and IT skills. The successful candidate will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of current local and national planning policy and have a track record of negotiating improvements to development proposals through the planning application process.

You should be qualified to degree level within Planning or a related discipline and be eligible for RTPI membership. You must possess leadership skills and have a customer focused approach. Ability to travel throughout Cheshire East and a full UK driving license are required.

Enhanced public pension: a career average pension (contributions built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay).
Flexible Working: 37-hour standard full time week with flexi time and hybrid / remote working arrangements.
Purchase of annual leave: The ability to purchase up to 10 days extra annual leave each year in addition to your normal annual leave entitlements.
Cycle to work scheme: receive Income Tax and National Insurance savings of up to 25-39% off the retail price of a bike and safety equipment package (savings dependent on the value of your chosen package and your tax status).
Employee Assistance programme: a completely free to use and confidential assistance service for all employees to help staff manage, reduce and overcome the impact of life issues which they may experience from time to time, both within work and their personal life.
Virgin Media and O2 discounts: exclusive discounts on Virgin Media Broadband and O2 pay monthly plans.
Discounted gym memberships: Access to corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure.