Cheshire West and Chester Council brings a fresh and energetic approach to providing high quality services for its many customers and communities. Our busy and friendly Development Management service is expanding and we are looking for a motivated and skilled individual to lead a team of planners working on a wide variety of planning applications, helping us deliver high quality, sustainable development across the Borough.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a progressive employer offering a range of employee benefits and the opportunity to guide and mentor a friendly and hard-working team of professional planning officers. You will also be dealing with a range of strategic-level development proposals and engaging in business strategy and service improvement.
You will have a masters-level degree in town planning, eligibility for RTPI membership and be an expert in planning law and practice. You will also have substantial experience of working in development management, preferably in a local government environment. You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills and political awareness. Previous leadership experience will be advantageous, but having the potential to be a great leader matters most.
Why not come and help us achieve our ambition of building greener, fairer and stronger communities for all?
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.
Our borough features a rich and varied landscape, with a wide range of urban and rural communities including the main centres of Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford. We are a friendly, supportive and innovative planning team dealing with around planning-related applications each year, offering the opportunity to get involved in a great variety of development proposals benefitting the social, economic and environmental diversity of the area whilst protecting the countryside and Green Belt and preserving and enhancing our distinct heritage - including the beautiful walled city of Chester with its concentration of listed buildings and Area of Archaeological Importance.
Your main responsibility will be to manage one of five teams of planners and senior planners, and to work with other team managers and the Senior Planning Manager to improve the service and shape its future direction. You will also have a small caseload of your own applications and from time to time you will work with our planning enforcement and planning policy teams. You will be able to demonstrate the ability to work as part of our friendly and committed team of planners and support staff, be an excellent communicator, and be well-organised with a clear commitment to providing outstanding customer service. In return, our innovative and supportive way of working offers high levels of trust and autonomy to make decisions and manage your own workload.
This is a hybrid worker role, meaning that your working time will be split between home and our modern offices in Ellesmere Port. We are committed to flexible working practices and promoting a healthy work/life balance.
You should have an in-depth knowledge of planning legislation, policies and procedures along with strong negotiation and advocacy skills to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders, as well as the ability to make balanced judgements and sound decisions. The role includes presenting items to the Planning Committee, external meetings representing the Council, and occasionally acting as expert witness in Hearings and Public Inquiries. To carry out some site visits and attend remote meetings, you will also need a full UK Driving Licence and access to a car.
Cheshire West and Chester is a dynamic, high performing council delivering great outcomes for its residents through its people. If you are interested in joining our committed and innovative planning team, we look forward to hearing from you.
Interested to find out more?
Nick Smith, Senior Planning Manager, at
To find out more information about what it is like to work for Cheshire West and Chester Council including our rewards and benefits please see
No candidate will meet every single requirement - if your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!
Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment. Please see the for more information.
Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £ per hour for all contracted hours.