Town Planner - Water Industry

Senior Town Planner
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Role Purpose
As a Senior Town and Country Planner within the Enabling Team, you will support the Planning Lead in ensuring compliance with Town and Country Planning legislation across Capital and other projects. Your focus will be on securing planning consents, optimising permitted development rights, and contributing to strategic planning initiatives.
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Key Responsibilities
* Planning Delivery
o Lead planning activities for small to medium Capital Projects.
o Maximise use of permitted development rights within project teams.
o Support project teams in securing all necessary consents for construction.
o Develop and implement planning and consultation strategies.
o Collaborate with the Communications team to manage stakeholder engagement.
o Review and ensure quality of planning-related deliverables.
o Engage with internal and external stakeholders, particularly Local Planning Authorities.
o Provide reporting and updates on planning progress.
o Support Special Projects and Development Consent Orders (DCOs) as needed.
o Prioritise tasks and respond to urgent planning needs effectively.
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Accountabilities & Time Allocation
* Planning Delivery & Consent Management: 70%
* Technical Expertise (T&C Planning): 15%
* Strategic Integration & Collaboration: 5%
* Stakeholder Engagement: 5%
* Business Planning & Reporting: 5%
* Team Management: None
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Skills & Competencies
* Strong knowledge of planning legislation, especially within the water industry.
* Experience in corporate Town and Country Planning.
* Awareness of environmental initiatives (e.g., biodiversity net gain).
* Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Effective communicator with strong written and verbal presentation abilities.
* Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
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Qualifications & Experience
* MSc or equivalent RTPI-accredited degree in Town and Country Planning.
* Membership of a professional body (working towards full RTPI membership).
* Minimum 5 years' experience in a planning role, ideally with exposure to the UK water industry or similar sectors.
* Familiarity with relevant legislation including:
o Town and Country Planning Act
o General Permitted Development Order
o Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations
o Environment Act
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Key Relationships
* Local Authorities
* Contractors and Consultants
* Enabling Team (Ecologists, Environmental Advisors, Planners)
* Design Engineers and Project Managers
* Strategy Leads and Legal Team