Senior/Principal Town Planner

Overview

As a Town Planner at Bidwells in London, you will contribute to shaping places through commercial planning advice, site assessments, and robust planning submissions. You’ll work within a large, collaborative planning team, engaging with clients and planning authorities to drive regeneration and mixed-use developments. The role combines client relationship growth with exposure to high-profile schemes, offering development and leadership opportunities. You’ll benefit from a supportive culture, strong industry reputation, and a clear path to advancement.

Pay / Benefits

• Competitive salary and bonus
• Up to 8% matched pension
• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Birthday off, wellness day, paid sabbaticals
• Private medical cover and medicash
• Lifestyle discounts and perks

Responsibilities

• Provide commercial planning advice and formulate strategies to promote sites
• Handle new job enquiries and prepare fee proposals
• Engage with local planning authorities and stakeholders
• Undertake site assessments and establish development potential
• Prepare high-quality planning submissions and progress applications
• Research and compile evidence to support planning cases
• Prepare design and access statements and other planning documents
• Represent clients’ commercial interests in planning processes
• Provide mentoring to junior team members
• Develop and maintain client relationships and identify new business
• Stay updated on legislation and government guidance
• Identify and manage conflicts of interest
• Support the team with ad hoc planning or admin duties

Key requirements

• Town planning degree or equivalent and RTPI membership
• Up-to-date knowledge of town planning
• Experience in Local Government or consultancy preferred
• Strong understanding of the planning system and a broad interest in planning issues
• Commercial awareness
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-management skills
• Ability to manage and prioritise multiple projects
• Ability to attract new instructions and clients

• Interpersonal communication
• Relationship management
• Commercial awareness
• Planning strategy development
• Site assessment and development potential analysis
• Preparation of planning submissions and D&A statements

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