SENIOR PLANNING OFFICER
DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
Career Grade 10 – 11, £40,573 - £49,439 + Car Allowance + Market Supplement (£5K) (subject to qualification)
Due to an internal promotion, we have an opportunity for a full-time Senior Planning Officer to join our Development Management team on a permanent contract. ‘Development Management’ is the ‘coal face’ of the planning service, part of the Regeneration and Place Directorate and incorporating Planning applications and appeals; Enforcement; and Heritage, Landscape and Trees.
Accordingly, there are ‘majors’, ‘minors’ and ‘others’ teams handling planning applications and appeals. An enforcement team, including a team leader, investigation and enforcement planning officers. There is also a Heritage, Landscape and Trees team together with technical support and S106/CIL teams. There are close working relationships with Building Control and Legal Services. The validation of planning applications is undertaken by Mid Kent Planning Services, which is shared with Swale BC.
As a Senior Planning Officer, you will be determining a wide range of applications, including householder, minors, small majors, adverts, change of use, breaches, telecommunications, discharge of conditions and Certificates of Lawfulness in an area experiencing one of the highest numbers of applications in Kent. This will involve liaising with internal and external stakeholders, applicants, agents, Councillors and others involved in the planning process. Attendance at the planning committee would be required when necessary. The committee meets once a month, and meetings take place in the evening at Maidstone’s Town Hall.
As a Senior Planning Officer, you will be in a position to offer supervisory support and training to junior members of staff, with some signing-off powers to support the Team Leader as required and depending on experience.
This role is offered on a 37-hour week, with office-based working at least two days per week and flexible home working on an agreed basis as part of the Council’s approach to offer employees a range of flexible working opportunities.
About Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high-quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy. We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.
We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision, and in return, you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued, and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.
Our Offer:
A range of benefits including:
- Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
- 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
- Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years' LG service, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy additional leave
- Additional 3 days' leave given to enable a closure of the offices between Christmas and New Year
- Free parking
- Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance, including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part-time
- Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
- Employee Assistance Programme, which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family
- Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
- Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/bus journey, to & from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car; the monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
- Annual flu vaccine
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff benefits include discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
- Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
- A professional fee payment, if required for the role
About You:
We are looking for a strong team player with enthusiasm and a real desire to make further improvement happen and take initiative.
You will have a degree in a relevant subject, or the equivalent, with experience of dealing with planning applications, planning enforcement and/or appeals.
You will also have self-organisation and strong IT skills, and be able to meet deadlines. For this post, you will need to have a keen customer focus and have experience working with members of the public, as well as excellent written and verbal communication.
You will require a valid UK driving licence and the ability to travel around the borough to visit sites as required.
Selection Process:
After you submit your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Successful candidates will be invited to a job-specific interview assessment followed by an interview.
This post is considered to require political sensitivity, and the council’s Politically Restricted Posts Policy applies. If you would like further information on this, please contact us at [email protected].
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact:
Diane Chaplin, Householder Team Leader (Development Management) on 01622 602070 or email [email protected].
Or Tony Ryan, Planning Applications Manager (Development Management) on 01622 602358 or email [email protected].
To apply for the position, please visit www.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs and complete the online application form or by phone on 01622 602555.
Closing Date: Sunday 19th April 2026
Interview Date: w/c 27th April 2026
