Principal Planner - #2144980

Principal Planner

Location: Warwickshire
Salary: £55,000/£65,000
Type: Full-time

A well-established and highly respected environmental and planning consultancy is looking to appoint an experienced Principal Planner to join its team in Warwickshire.

The consultancy has more than 35 years of experience providing independent technical and environmental advice to both public and private sector clients. Its planning team works on a diverse range of technically challenging projects, particularly across the minerals, waste and environmental sectors.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planning professional looking to take on a senior position within a multidisciplinary consultancy, working closely with experienced environmental specialists and taking responsibility for the delivery of complex planning projects.

The Role

As a Principal Planner, you will provide technical planning expertise across a varied portfolio of projects. You will take responsibility for managing projects from inception through to completion, while providing practical and commercially aware planning advice to clients and colleagues.

The role will involve working closely with specialists across planning, environmental assessment, engineering and other technical disciplines to deliver integrated solutions for clients.

• Lead and contribute to a range of planning and environmental projects.
• Provide technical support and planning advice to senior colleagues and project teams.
• Manage projects from initial instruction through to completion.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously and ensure deadlines and budgets are met.
• Coordinate internal and external technical specialists.
• Provide clear, practical advice on UK planning policy, legislation and environmental requirements.
• Lead and coordinate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and the preparation of Environmental Statements.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of planning applications.
• Support and oversee Development Consent Order (DCO) applications where required.
• Liaise with clients, local planning authorities, regulators, statutory consultees and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with minerals and waste operators, the Environment Agency and local authorities.
• Attend meetings, consultations, site visits and public inquiries where required.
• Contribute to the preparation of supporting planning statements and technical documentation.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to more junior members of the team.

The consultancy's planning services include development feasibility assessments, planning applications, Development Consent applications, supporting statements, environmental assessments, negotiations with statutory consultees, community consultation and expert witness work.

Requirements

• Significant professional experience within town planning / planning consultancy.
• Strong knowledge of the UK planning system, planning policy and environmental legislation.
• Experience managing planning projects from inception through to delivery.
• Previous experience working on complex planning applications.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary project teams.
• Experience with EIA and Environmental Statements would be highly advantageous.
• Experience within the minerals, waste, environmental or infrastructure sectors would be particularly relevant.
• Experience liaising with local authorities, regulators and statutory consultees.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong client-management and stakeholder-engagement abilities.
• A relevant planning or environmental qualification.
• RTPI membership / MRTPI would be advantageous.
• A full UK driving licence is desirable due to the nature of the role and project work.

Benefits

• Competitive salary dependent on experience.
• Opportunity to work on technically challenging and varied planning projects.
• Exposure to minerals, waste, environmental and infrastructure developments.
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced environmental and technical specialists.
• Career progression within an established multidisciplinary consultancy.
• Professional development and ongoing technical training.
• Supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Opportunity to develop your project-management and client-management experience.
• Exposure to planning applications, EIA, DCOs, consultations and public inquiries.
• Opportunity to work on projects from initial feasibility through to completion.

The business places significant emphasis on professional development, technical excellence, knowledge sharing and mentoring, with a stated aim of creating a welcoming and fulfilling working environment for its employees.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

If you are interested in this Principal Planner opportunity and would like to find out more, please email your CV to (url removed). Please include details of your current experience, location and availability, and a member of the recruitment team will be in touch.