Uttlesford is a unique district, with Saffron Walden voted the country’s “Best Place to Live 2025”. It is also home to the expanding London Stansted Airport, and picture-postcard market towns and villages. Our Planning Service has experienced a significant transformation over the past two years. Our Development Management and Building Control Teams are thriving, high-performing, and fully staffed. We have just taken our local plan through examination and expect to adopt it in early 2026. This is your chance to contribute to the continued success of the Planning Service, our emerging policy framework, and the future of the district itself.
We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking policy planner to lead our Local Plans, Planning Specialists, and Economic Development Teams. This is an exciting leadership role for a development professional with a strong background in policy, either in local government or consultancy.
You will manage a team of up to 12 skilled officers across a range of disciplines including planning policy, urban design, transport policy, and economic development. Your leadership will be key as we progress a number of strategic priorities over the next 12–18 months, including the introduction of a Community Infrastructure Levy, delivery of key Development Plan Documents, and a refresh of our Supplementary Planning Documents, including our district-wide Design Code. You will also support our Parishes deliver and refresh their neighbourhood plans.
Collaboration is central to this role. You will work closely with neighbouring authorities, parish councils, and Essex County Council on joint initiatives, so strong interpersonal and networking skills are essential.
We’re looking for someone who is self-motivated, analytical, and an excellent communicator. You’ll be confident deputising for the Strategic Director of Planning when required and supportive of the professional development of others, especially our graduate planners.
Uttlesford District Council is a family friendly Council. We encourage and support our employees to have a healthy work life balance as well as offering a range of benefits including generous annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro-rata), leisure centre discounts, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and an online platform offering discounts from online retailers.
Uttlesford the place, is made up of four main communities (Stansted Mountfitchet, Saffron Walden, Thaxted and Great Dunmow) as well as around 100 smaller villages and hamlets spread throughout the area. It is the largest geographical district in the county of Essex, covering 63,752 hectares.
We have repeatedly been identified as one of the best places to live in the UK, due to our low crime levels, high quality education services and the quality of our local amenities.
We have the highest number of listed buildings in the county of Essex, reflecting the historical significance of the area. Uttlesford is a great place to live and work. It offers an excellent quality of life where you can enjoy a peaceful rural environment even though you are within an hour's journey from the centre of London, and closer still to the historic city of Cambridge.
Uttlesford District Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and proud to support our care leavers and the Armed Forces Covenant. Anyone disclosing a disability or is a care leaver or is a member of the armed forces community (veteran/service leaver, reserve forces or their spouses/partners or cadet force adult volunteer) whose application meets the essential criteria for the post will be guaranteed an interview.
