Associate Town Planner

Overview

In this role you will lead planning strategies for strategic land promotion and residential-led developments, coordinating multidisciplinary teams to secure allocations and approvals. You’ll work within a planning-focused practice to support client needs, navigate policy and delivery challenges, and contribute to business growth. You will manage complex planning workstreams from feasibility to delivery, offering commercially minded advice and mentoring junior team members. This is an opportunity to shape significant housing-led sites while working in an established, employee‑owned, collaborative environment.

Pay / Benefits

• award-winning and purpose-driven practice
• employee-owned organisation
• dynamic multidisciplinary environment
• opportunity for professional development and career progression
• varied strategic projects across sectors
• flexible studio location options (Oxford, Bristol, Exeter)

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead planning strategies for strategic land promotion and planning applications, focusing on residential-led development.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage workstreams, programmes and budgets for complex projects.
• Advise clients on opportunities, risks, policy requirements and post-consent delivery strategies.
• Lead planning appeals, Local Plan examinations and plan-making initiatives as required.
• Support bids, tenders, and business development activities to grow client relationships.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to junior planners and colleagues across the planning team.

Key requirements

• MRTPI accreditation
• extensive UK planning knowledge with experience in strategic land promotion and securing allocations/permissions
• proven track record managing complex, major, and phased planning applications (outline, detailed, reserved matters)
• strong knowledge of planning policy, case law and legislation; ability to provide practical, commercially minded advice
• experience across planning appeals, Local Plan examinations and/or strategic plan-making; Expert Witness experience desirable
• excellent communication and presentation skills for clients, stakeholders and teams
• strong project management and commercial capabilities; experience managing multidisciplinary teams, budgets and outputs
• proactive, entrepreneurial and collaborative approach with ability to develop client relationships and contribute to business development

• excellent communication
• collaboration
• entrepreneurial mindset
• planning policy
• planning appeals
• Local Plan examinations

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