At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape vibrant, green neighbourhoods and drive sustainable growth in Waltham Forest.
- Company: Join the dynamic London Borough of Waltham Forest Council, a hub of culture and creativity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, inclusive workplace, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Collaborative team environment with excellent career growth and innovative projects.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on community development and infrastructure in a diverse borough.
- Qualifications: Experience in planning policy and a passion for urban design and placemaking.
The predicted salary is between 49056 - 55323 £ per year.
Location: London Borough of Waltham Forest, UK
Salary: 49,056 - 55,323 per year
Employment: Full time
Category: Planning
Posted: 2026-08-17
Valid to: 2026-09-08
Application Deadline: 08/09/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): 22/09/2026
Reference: 2262
About Us:
Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents. London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
About the role:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Planning Policy Officer in the dynamic, diverse and multi-disciplinary Place and Design Team at Waltham Forest Council. This is a key place-shaping role in a team with a great track record and at the forefront of delivering vibrant, green, safe and accessible neighbourhoods across Waltham Forest. We are looking for someone creative and energetic with demonstrable planning policy skills – and who is looking to build on those skills to help shape sustainable growth that meets genuine local needs, ensuring that the right infrastructure is delivered in the right places, and leading on the delivery of the Council’s innovative Exemplar Design principles and values.
The focus of the team, in the near term, is on the implementation of our ambitious adopted Local Plan and Site Allocations, and this role will be key to unlocking delivery of new homes, workspace and infrastructure across the borough. The Officer will also play a key role in the implementation of the new National Planning Policy Framework and the New London Plan within Waltham Forest.
The right candidate will:
- Be interested in strategic and infrastructure planning, in urban design and placemaking, and will have a good understanding of developer contributions. Experience of housing policy will be advantageous.
- Work well with others and have the ability to communicate ideas and proposals effectively, demonstrating a creative approach to problem solving and to learning new skills.
In this role, you will work in a multidisciplinary team, alongside a Principal Developer Contributions Officer, Developer Contributions Support Officer, GIS Officer and Data Quality Officer. The role will report to the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Lead.
The Place and Design Team:
We work to ensure that growth is inclusive, creating a fairer borough and to deliver the new homes and jobs that the borough needs. We are committed to engaging the borough’s diverse communities at all stages of the development cycle to ensure that future development brings the benefits they need. The team works to ensure that all new development is of exemplar quality and is supported by the right infrastructure, built in the right places. We work closely with stakeholders – whether strategic authorities, investors or developers – to make sure that development contributes to wider ambitions, enhancing biodiversity, mitigating flood risk, and tackling the Climate Emergency head on. We work within an inclusive structure that rejects silos, embraces sharing and learning and works flexibly and collaboratively. We have adopted a matrix working approach that assembles the right teams for the right projects, building resilience and skills. We also work collaboratively with other teams across the council, including Development Management, Area Regeneration, Employment, Business and Skills, Culture, Housing, Property, Capital Delivery, Strategy & Design, and Highways. We have built a reputation as an innovative, positive, proactive team that delivers excellent results with work produced in-house. The recent achievements of the team include adopting our Local Plan and having our Site Allocations Plan pass examination, contributing to award-winning buildings and public spaces, developing the Waltham Forest Design Awards, producing high-quality guidance such as the Residential Alterations and Retrofit SPD and the Leyton Mills SPD, as well as rejuvenating our Local Heritage List.
We are a Home Office–licensed sponsor; however, for this specific role we are not able to provide Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. To be considered, you must already hold a form of UK work authorisation that does not require sponsorship.
Planning Policy for Place Principal Officer in London employer: London Borough of Waltham Forest
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is an excellent employer for those passionate about inclusive education, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises collaboration and professional growth. As a SENDCO & Inclusion Leader, you will be part of a dedicated team that values diversity and provides ample opportunities for development, all within a supportive community committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all learners.
Contact Details:
London Borough of Waltham Forest Recruitment Team
