Planning Officer
Starting salary for this role is £39,152 (pro rata for part-time colleagues)
This role sits within a well defined pay band, offering clear progression as you grow your career at BCP. Without exception all new starters begin at the entry point of the band, ensuring fairness and consistency across the organisation. Be part of a forward thinking workplace where you’re supported to grow and you can truly #BeTheDifference at BCP.
Internal colleagues are also normally appointed at the bottom of the band, unless moving within the same profession and skill level, where the pay band is the same they can be appointed to the existing pay point.
Learn more in our ‘More than just a job’ brochure on our careers site.
BCP Council has a culture of openness to ideas and experimentation in how they do things and welcome imaginative, creative and ambitious thinking. There is a corporate transformation programme underway that seeks to make the best use of technology to deliver the best possible services to the area’s communities.
BCP Council is consistently in the top ten busiest local planning authorities in the country, representative of our diverse area, overall strategic growth and development opportunities, inward investment interest and premier location on the south coast as the place to live, work and play.
BCP Council has ambitious plans for growth to meet its housing and other development needs. This therefore represents one of the most exciting planning opportunities in the country where you will perform a key role in helping to deliver outstanding planning outcomes that achieve the appropriate balance between meeting growth ambitions and respecting the area’s outstanding natural and built environment.
In recognition of this, the planning department is shaping itself into being one of the fastest growing and best performing local planning authorities in the country, both in terms of speed and quality of decision making. Come and be part of our excellent and supportive team and help us deliver this vision.
Your new role
BCP is seeking curious, creative and ambitious individuals to be a part of their journey in planning for the future growth and prosperity of the region. We are looking to welcome candidates with the desire to make an impact and feel confident sharing their ideas. The Councils team ethos is one which encourages collaboration and thoughtful contribution towards how the Council delivers their planning service, to best serve the interests of the community and region.
Within your role as a Planner Officer, your accountabilities will include:
- Appraise and make recommendations and decisions on a wide range of planning applications (these will include major developments and/or complex and controversial applications) against Local and National Planning Policy, regulations, and legislative frameworks to ensure that applications are compliant with requirements and BCP Council’s vision.
- Conduct public consultations in line with statutory requirements and Council policy to ensure that all parties affected by potential development can provide comment and appropriate input
- Provide advice and support to junior members of staff to ensure appropriate and effective service is delivered to the required standard
- Provide planning related advice and guidance through the pre-application process to all customers and interested parties to help ensure that future planning applications will be aligned to the Local and National Planning Policy.
- Represent the Council and deal with planning appeals as a case officer to defend the Council’s decisions.
- Negotiate with external agencies and Applicants to ensure that defined environmental betterment and housing quotas are delivered in planning applications
Dimensions of the role:
- This role is required to support and mentoring of more junior colleagues
- This role does not manage any direct budgets
What you'll need to succeed
- Educated to degree level
- Willingness to work towards membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute
- Experience of working in the development industry on cases with a range of complexity or ability to demonstrate relevant transferable skill
- Knowledge of planning legislation such as Town and Country Planning Act, National Policy Framework, Legislation and Planning Practice Guidance.
- Understanding of the Development Management process
- Ability to translate complex information, provide professional advice and guidance and to present information to a range of stakeholders in a clear and precise manner
- Ability to demonstrate strong project management skills
What you'll get in return
- Flexible, tailored and accommodating hybrid working arrangements to suit a wide variety of applicants (Applicants for remote working will be considered)
- Access to newly modern, newly refurbished office hub location in the heart of Bournemouth town centre
- Excellent pension scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Family support services
- Wellbeing, Employee support and Counselling services
- Supportive and collaborative working environment in which to develop your career
Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.
At BCP Council, inclusion is more than a promise – it’s how we work.
We’re committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process ensuring every candidate and colleague has the support and reasonable adjustments they need to thrive.
From the moment you apply, through the recruitment process and throughout your career with us, we’ll be here to listen and provide the help and support you need.
It’s why we’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer – and why you can trust that we’ll always do our best to make your experience positive and accessible.
If you require any reasonable adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply or contact us directly – we’re here to help. For further information on the accessibility support we can offer please see here: Preparing for your interview | Working for BCP
About BCP Council
BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, world-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.
Our Benefits
A Place to Thrive – Join BCP Council
At BCP Council, we’re not just building a workforce— we’re transforming how we recognise and reward our people.
Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package at Employee benefits | Working for BCP
Be the difference - Join an organisation that values you
More About us | Working for BCP
Basic DBS
BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to uphold this commitment.
As part of the recruitment process, applicants for this role will be required to undertake the appropriate level of Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Please refer to the Role Profile for more details.