You studied planning. Now learn it properly, on real farms, with every case checked.
Your first planning job shapes how you work for years. Too many graduates spend it on one small corner of a large scheme, picking up shortcuts with nobody explaining why. You deserve a better start than that.
What you will do
- Assess farm holdings against the GPDO, the NPPF and local plan policy.
- Draft planning statements and prior approval submissions, reviewed before they are submitted.
- Help deliver Stage 1 Planning Strategies: a written assessment of what a farm can build, convert or change, and in what order.
- Build up to your own caseload, with defined expectations agreed from the start.
- Learn to explain the position plainly to clients, including when the answer is no.
What you need
- A completed degree in a rural related subject, such as rural land management or rural surveying, or a degree in town planning.
- The patience to read a condition line by line before forming a view.
- A preference for evidence over opinion.
- To work from our office at Eight Ash Green, Essex. This role is office based.
- No farming background needed. You need accuracy, and the willingness to learn how farms actually work.
Graduate Farm Planning Consultant in Colchester employer: Foxes Rural
Foxes Rural offers a supportive work environment where each enquiry has a named owner, ensuring accountability and clarity in communication. The company emphasizes professional development with every case reviewed by the Planning Director, fostering a culture of collaboration and learning. Employees have the flexibility to work remotely or from the office in Essex, promoting a healthy work-life balance.
