Senior Town Planner
Job description
If you’re someone who thrives on shaping places and making a real difference to communities, this could be the role for you. You’ll be a confident and knowledgeable planning professional, comfortable handling complex and sometimes sensitive applications, and motivated by delivering high-quality outcomes. You’ll enjoy working collaboratively, taking ownership of your work, and using your expertise to balance development pressures with sustainable growth and community needs.
What’s the role all about?
As a Senior Town Planner, you’ll play a key role in delivering a first-class statutory planning service that supports sustainable development and economic growth across North East Lincolnshire. You’ll manage a diverse caseload of complex planning applications, provide expert advice to a wide range of stakeholders, and contribute to major regeneration, infrastructure and planning policy. Your work will help shape the future of the area, ensuring high standards, sound decision-making and positive outcomes for residents, businesses and investors.
What will your day look like?
You will be preparing detailed reports, carrying out site visits, negotiating design improvements with developers, or providing clear, practical advice through pre-application discussions. You’ll work closely with colleagues across the council, support junior team members, and contribute to wider strategies such as housing, transport and regeneration. At times, you may also represent the council at appeals or public hearings for nationally significant infrastructure projects, making this a varied and rewarding role.
Who are we looking for?
We’re looking for an experienced town planning professional with strong technical knowledge of planning legislation, policy and procedures. You’ll be confident writing clear and robust reports, communicating complex issues effectively, and working independently to meet deadlines. Experience of appeals, committee work, and negotiating planning obligations will put you in a strong position. A planning qualification (or equivalent experience) is essential, and RTPI membership — or working towards it — is desirable. Above all, you’ll share our values and be committed to delivering excellent customer service and positive planning outcomes.
Why join us?
This is an opportunity to join a forward-thinking planning service where your expertise will have a lasting, visible impact on places and communities. You’ll work on a wide range of complex and meaningful projects that help shape sustainable growth and regeneration across North East Lincolnshire, with the chance to influence
decision-making at both local and strategic levels. In return, you’ll be supported by a collaborative team culture that values professional judgement, openness and continuous improvement. We’re committed to helping you develop and grow, offering varied work, exposure to high-profile schemes, and the satisfaction of knowing your work directly contributes to high-quality environments and positive outcomes for residents, businesses and investors alike.
For more information please contact:
Cheryl Jarvis via
Key Dates
· Closing date – 31st January
· Interviews – W/C 9th February
We want you to have the best interview experience with us, so will provide candidates selected for interview their questions the day prior in advance of meeting us.
We reserve the right to close our adverts early if we have received a significant volume of suitable applications.
As part of your RewardNEL package, you will have a generous leave entitlement (including bank holidays) and enrolment into a local government pension.
You will also have access to our exclusive RewardNEL platform.
This includes a variety of salary sacrifice schemes including Cycle2Work, Holiday Extra and Tusker (Car Lease), discounts at local coffee shops and bars, direct access to our inhouse wellbeing support, free and discounted local car parking as well as instant access to new savings at major retailers, entertainment and hotels.
NELC staff can also benefit from flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities and a Fostering friendly scheme.
Do you need support?
If you need any help applying for this position, please contact Wendy Trask on (text or call). Wendy can support with digital access as well as offering advice and guidance about completing the different sections of the application form.
Your earnings go further in North East Lincolnshire, house prices are four times less than in London. Learn more about what our place has to offer at Life in North East Lincolnshire | NELC (nelincs.gov.uk) #FindYourSpace
Get to know us better Check out our Council Plan and read about all of the exciting new developments we have in the pipeline.
We regularly review data to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, transparent and promote equal opportunities for all. We also have an in-house Equalities Champions Group that works to promote and embed inclusivity in the workplace, helping us identify areas where we can take positive action, and make the organisation a safe space for colleagues to feel connected.