Principal Planning Officer

The Role

Lancaster City Council is looking for an experienced planner who is seeking a new challenge. Help us deliver the next stage of our innovative vision for the district and implement our adopted Local Plan by joining our dynamic Development Management Team.

The Lancaster District is:

• An ambitious district, reflected in the Council’s exciting development programme which includes delivering the next Eden Project in Morecambe and a vibrant regeneration scheme at Canal Quarter in the centre of the City.
• A collaborative district, with officers who are empowered to work with partners on unique projects such as the Health Innovation Campus, which aims to develop sustainable solutions for the important health and care challenges that we face as a society.
• A diverse district, including the internationally protected Morecambe Bay; the City of Lancaster, which is one of the premier heritage destinations within England’s Heritage Cities Consortium; 2 National Landscapes and a vibrant arts and cultural community.
• A responsible district, which recognises how it can lead by example and influence others to address the local challenges that global climate change brings.
• An accessible district, with the breathtaking scenery of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales only 30 minutes away, and which is served by London and Scotland-bound West Coast Mainline rail services. Three junctions of the M6 lie within the district, providing an immediate gateway to the rest of the country.

For candidates who have appropriate Development Management experience (whether public or private), are good communicators, and possess an excellent working knowledge of relevant planning legislation, we can offer a wide variety of experience in terms of application types, training support, and opportunities for hybrid working, including some homeworking and use of the City Council’s office in the heart of Lancaster, being only a 10-minute walk from the train station.

A full current UK driving licence is essential, as the post holder will occasionally be required to undertake site visits. As a result, you will be required to sign up to the authorised external DVLA driving licence validation organisation that we use to manage and monitor our employees' driving licence data.

This post is permanent. The hours of work for this position are 37 hours per week, working Monday to Friday, and you will be based at Lancaster Town Hall.

Flexible working friendly – we offer hybrid working, a generous flexi-time scheme, and the opportunity to work with your team to establish working hours to enable you to maximise your work-life balance.

About You

You will identify with our organisational values of Pride, Ownership, Working Together, and Ambition.

Our Benefits

Lancaster is a great place to work; as well as being part of something special, you will also benefit from:

• Generous annual leave allowance
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• A range of employee benefits including discounted gym membership, cycle to work scheme, the opportunity to purchase extra time off, as well as discounts on days out, activities, and retail.

Lancaster City Council has unanimously declared a climate emergency and will therefore work towards reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030. As part of this role, you will be expected to participate and work towards reducing both carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change.

We are an Investor in People, Forces Friendly employer, and an Armed Forces Covenant committed organisation. We welcome applications from defence reserves and other members of our armed forces community. We are an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all parts of our community.

At Lancaster City Council, we aim to have a diverse workforce that is representative of the district that we serve, and provide a working environment where each employee feels able to bring their whole self to work. We welcome applications from all sections of our community and provide several supportive and inclusive workplace networks and safe spaces for employees to feel connected. Our workplace wellbeing strategy drives our commitment to staff wellbeing initiatives and ensuring that our organisation is a great place to work for all.

We are a disability confident committed employer.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to update all applicants individually. If you do not receive a response from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, then your application will have unfortunately been unsuccessful in progressing to interview.

For an informal chat about this role, please contact Mark Potts - Service Manager - Development Management on 01524 582362 or mpotts@lancaster.gov.uk.

Interview date: TBC