Planning Officer
Exmoor House, Dulverton, Somerset

The Organisation

Exmoor National Park is a unique and beautiful part of the country. Our vision is to ensure Exmoor National Park has a thriving living landscape and is a place where people can enjoy and benefit from Exmoor’s special qualities and sustainable communities. Our Planning staff play a key role in the achievement of this vision.

We are now looking for a Planning Officer to join us on a permanent, full-time basis, and are offering a one-off welcome payment of £5000 on appointment to the successful applicant (pro-rata for part-time).

The Benefits

- Competitive salary
- Paid sickness leave
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- 29 days’ holiday per annum, plus Bank Holidays

This is an exceptional opportunity for a planning graduate with great survey, research and analytical skills to step into an engaging and varied role with our committed organisation.

You’ll have the chance to play a vital role in protecting and conserving the unique character and appearance of Exmoor, from the special landscape to historical buildings, all whilst gaining fantastic experience and building a career to be proud of.

So, if you want to make a positive impact on one of the UK's finest landscapes, apply today!

The Role

As a Planning Officer, you will support planning activities across Exmoor with particular focus on development management which aim to conserve and enhance the natural and built environment of the National Park.

Ensuring the delivery of an effective, efficient and community-focused service, you’ll process planning applications and carry out site visits to monitor development across the National Park.

You’ll act as the first point of contact for public enquiries about planning permissions and applications, providing guidance and advice face-to-face, over the phone and via email.

Additionally, you will:

- Produce performance data and reports
- Maintain records systems and schedules for monitoring sites
- Assist with interviewing complainants and witnesses

About You

To be considered as a Planning Officer, you will need:

- A degree in Town and Country Planning or an equivalent qualification or experience
- An understanding of analytical techniques and the ability to undertake surveys and research activities
- The ability to research, analyse and present work in a systematic, clear, and relevant format
- Negotiation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- IT proficiency
- To hold, or be willing to work towards, an RTPI qualification and membership
- A full, valid driving licence or the ability to travel to remote locations across the National Park

The closing date for this role is the 31st January 2023.

Please note that we are offering an extended period for applicants to apply for this position. However, if we receive a good response and/or applications that meet the requirements, we may close the vacancy prior to the advertised deadline. Therefore, if you are interested in this position, please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

Other organisations may all this role Planning Policy Officer, National Park Planning Officer, Rural Planning Officer, Graduate Planner, Planning Co-ordinator, Environmental Planner, Planning Development Officer, or Planning Applications Officer.

Webrecruit and Exmoor National Park Authority are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you want to step into a rewarding role as a Planning Officer, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.