An East Anglia-based Local Authority is seeking an experienced and driven Principal Planning Officer to join their Development Management team on a 6-month interim basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled professional to play a key role in progressing a diverse caseload of complex and high-impact planning applications.

About the Role

The successful candidate will act as case officer for a very large-scale major application plus some Planning Performance Agreement schemes which are at pre-application stage. The focus would be working on an 800-unit Residential scheme in the Greenbelt. This particular application was refuse.

Key responsibilities include:

• Preparing clear, well-reasoned officer reports and conditions
• Liaising with developers, legal teams, consultees, and stakeholders
• Ensuring weekly performance deadlines are met
• Representing the authority at hearings, inquiries, and committee meetings as required

What We're Looking For

You'll need to be a proactive and capable planning professional who can work independently while maintaining service quality and timeliness. You should have:

• Minimum 3 years' experience in handling complex and major planning applications within a local authority setting
• Experience in appeals, including Hearings and Public Inquiries
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Solid understanding of urban design, development economics, and planning legislation
• Proficiency with Office 365 and planning software/document management systems
• A valid driving licence and willingness to attend occasional evening meetings

Why Apply?

• Flexible hybrid working - with only one in-office day per week
• Opportunity to lead on meaningful developments within a supportive team
• Competitive rate up to £58/hour (inside IR35)
• Join a well-structured service with high expectations and clear processes

Interested?

Please contact Billy at Park Avenue Recruitment on 07763 200416 or email [email protected] to apply or discuss the role in more detail.