Principal Planning Officer (Spatial Planning)

Principal Planning Officer (Spatial Planning)

Fixed Term, Full Time

£47,532 to £55,919 per annum

Location: Chelmsford*

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 7th September 2025

*Please note this is a hybrid-working role, with a requirement to work at a functional work location 2-3 days per month on average, depending on business need.

This opportunity will be offered on a fixed-term contract or secondment basis until 30th March 2028.

This role will assist in the scope, preparation and delivery of the Greater Essex Spatial Development Strategy (SDS), other appropriate related planning policy documentation and engaging with Local Plans.

Essex County Council is a dynamic and innovative organisation to explore your potential. As one of the largest county councils in the country, we have a significant growth agenda, and planning has a vital role to play in securing the long-term well-being of our communities through the delivery of sustainable development. The Planning Service delivers a consistent approach and manages the complexity of relationships across city, district and borough councils, developers and partners. Working with all these partners the service strives to deliver well-balanced, high quality development which addresses the housing, economic, infrastructure and environmental needs of communities and creates great places to live, work and enjoy.

Operating on a geographic basis, the role actively engages and collaborates with a wide range of internal and local authority, government agency and private sector organisations on the spatial planning/development strategy for Essex and its sub-regions, to deliver the best outcome for Essex communities. Working with partners, a key role will be assisting in the scope, preparation and delivery of the Greater Essex Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) and other appropriate related planning policy documentation.

The role operates and delivers using matrix management principles ensuring excellence across the Planning Service and contributes to system leadership and change management.

Accountabilities

• Deliver ECC’s spatial policy objectives to support Essex’s future growth and development priorities and ensure the needs of Essex communities are fully represented in all local, sub-regional and national planning decisions.

• Lead and define (within an identified geographic area), ECC’s corporate engagement in the preparation of statutory Local Plans, the SDS and other planning policy documents; ensuring ECC’s statutory responsibilities/influences are addressed, infrastructure requirements planned for, and financial implications considered to maximise developer funded infrastructure and minimise the cost on the public purse.

• Lead on-going collaborative engagement in Local Plan and SDS preparation, informing and shaping the evidence base and selecting an appropriate and viable spatial strategy.

• Lead and prepare ECCs corporate consultation response within statutory deadlines, and secure appropriate senior leadership involvement and agreement.

• Lead and co-ordinate ECC representation at Local Plan Examinations including preparing hearing statements and Statements of Common Ground.

• Influence and shape the activities and views of key stakeholders to safeguard and promote Essex’s spatial planning interests; leading and representing ECC within a specialist area.

• Lead in spatial planning liaison and provide support to partner organisations in order to facilitate collaborative working; representing and leading the Service with key stakeholders, and contributing to planning research and intelligence activities for long term benefits.

• Responsible for ensuring implications of ECC’s spatial planning responses are handled sensitively and proactively.

• To carry out any other duties commensurate with the post as required to meet the needs of the service.

• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

About you

• Educated to degree level in a relevant field (Town planning/Geography) or equivalent or by experience.

• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area, with Corporate membership, or eligibility for Corporate membership, of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

• Significant post-qualification planning experience at a senior level, including a significant proportion engaged in planning work related to spatial/strategic planning.

• Professional specialist knowledge in planning legislation and guidance (including Development Plan procedures), spatial planning studies/policies/techniques, and the role of different stakeholders including local government in spatial planning activities and implementation/delivery.

• Ability to work with substantial autonomy and accountability requiring minimal supervision, with ability to manage and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines.

• Sound analytical skills and ability to project manage multi-disciplinary and complex planning issues and produce robust and creative challenges and proposals to further develop issues.

• Ability to successfully influence a wide range of internal and external partners, and ensure good relationship management, with an ability to see the big strategic picture and think long-term.

• Excellent written, verbal, listening skills and presentation skills to a variety of audiences including presenting information to elected Members at both a formal and informal level.

To read more about us please visit: People, Policy, Economy and Public Health - Working for Essex

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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