Senior Planning Manager - #2079857

Our client is an established master developer and strategic land promoter with a substantial pipeline of large-scale mixed-use and residential-led sites across the midlands. With the December 2025 NPPF reforms significantly expanding the opportunity set for strategic land promotion, they are growing their in-house planning capability and require a Senior Planning Manager to own complex consents from promotion through to planning permission.

This is a high-autonomy role sitting between senior management and technical delivery — you will lead on emerging LPA relationships, manage external consultants, and shape the planning strategy on sites typically ranging from 500 to 5,000+ units.

The role — key responsibilities

• Lead planning promotion of strategic land allocations and outline applications
• Own LPA pre-application dialogue and political stakeholder engagement
• Manage multi-disciplinary consultant teams (transport, ecology, heritage, drainage)
• Coordinate DCO, EIA, or hybrid application processes on large sites
• Negotiate Section 106 agreements and planning conditions
• Prepare and present reports to board on planning programme and risk
• Support land acquisition due diligence — planning appraisals and risk matrices
• Monitor emerging local plan policy and contribute to representations

What we're looking for

• MRTPI qualified with 6–12 years PQE (applications-side or promoter-side)
• Demonstrable track record on strategic sites (500+ units or mixed-use)
• Experience working in or with a land promoter, master developer, or strategic housebuilder
• Strong knowledge of NPPF, emerging plan-making reforms, and the housing delivery test
• Proven consultant management and programme delivery capability
• Experience with S106 negotiation and infrastructure delivery planning
• EIA coordination experience on major residential or mixed-use schemes
• Confident presenter to committees, inspectors, and senior stakeholders

What will set you apart

• Local plan examination or public inquiry experience (as advocate or witness)
• Knowledge of tstrategic land and wider housebuilder industry
• Experience on garden village, new settlement, or urban extension promotions
• Relationships with key consultancy and counsel networks in the strategic land market