Senior Design and Conservation Officer

The Oxford Street Development Corporation has been established to lead the long-term regeneration and transformation of Oxford Street and its surrounding area to deliver a world-class public realm and safer, cleaner streets, supporting high-quality development, culture and economic activity that keeps the area thriving. Our OSDC Board is setting out the strategic direction of the organisation and brings diverse insight and cross-sector expertise including retail, property, leisure, fashion, music, theatre, media, law and politics.

The Oxford Street Development Corporation is establishing a new planning service for one of Central London’s most significant and high-profile locations. As Senior Design and Conservation Officer, you will play a leading role in embedding a design-led approach across OSDC’s planning function. You will provide specialist advice on urban design, architecture, heritage, conservation, townscape and public realm matters, supporting high-quality outcomes across pre-application discussions, planning applications, enforcement matters, policy development and the preparation of design briefs and guidance.

This is a key role in helping OSDC establish itself as a design-led Local Planning Authority, ensuring that growth and investment are matched by excellence in architecture, heritage, public realm, accessibility and placemaking. The OSDC area contains a significant number of designated and non-designated heritage assets, as well as nationally important retail, commercial, cultural and public realm environments. The role will therefore require someone who can balance heritage significance with ambitious regeneration, accessibility, sustainability and placemaking objectives.

Working closely with development management, policy, infrastructure and delivery colleagues, you will support the Head of Planning Delivery and Place Shaping in establishing a planning service known for pace, quality, clarity and design leadership. You will also help support OSDC’s Planning Quality Review Group and wider design review processes, ensuring that design advice is clear, robust, constructive and capable of shaping better development as well as contribute to wider policy development, including preparation of the OSDC Local Plan.

What your day will look like:

• Lead on design, heritage, conservation, townscape and public realm matters across OSDC’s planning service.
• Provide specialist design and conservation advice on pre-application enquiries, planning applications, listed building matters, enforcement cases and emerging policy work.
• Prepare, commission or contribute to design briefs, development frameworks, site guidance and other design-led material to support high-quality development across the OSDC area.
• Support the operation of OSDC’s Planning Quality Review Group and any related design review processes, including preparing briefs, reviewing material, advising officers and helping ensure recommendations are followed through.
• Assess proposals for their impact on design quality, heritage significance, setting, townscape, public realm, accessibility, sustainability and placemaking outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with applicants, agents, design teams, Historic England, local authorities, amenity societies, community groups and other stakeholders to secure positive and deliverable design outcomes.
• Provide clear design and heritage advice to officers, senior management, members and Planning Committee where required.
• Contribute to the preparation of the OSDC Local Plan, design policies, guidance, characterisation work and wider service improvement.

Skills, knowledge and experience:

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Degree level qualification in architecture, urban design, conservation, planning, built environment, historic environment or another relevant discipline.
• Membership, or eligibility for membership, of a relevant professional body such as RIBA, RTPI, IHBC, Urban Design Group, Design Council Expert Network or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience of providing design and/or conservation advice on complex planning applications, pre-application proposals, listed building matters, design briefs, development frameworks or planning guidance.
• Experience of managing a caseload of heritage related planning applications, including listed building applications and associated consents.
• Strong understanding of heritage legislation, planning policy, architectural history and statutory development management processes.
• Good understanding of planning legislation, heritage legislation, national and London planning policy, design policy and statutory development management processes.
• Strong communication, analytical and negotiation skills, with the ability to balance design quality, heritage significance, regeneration objectives, deliverability and public value.

Communicating and Influencing:

Level 3 indicators of effective performance:

• Encourages and supports teams in engaging in transparent and inclusive communication.
• Influences others and gains buy-in using compelling, well-thought-through arguments.
• Negotiates effectively to deliver OSDC priorities.
• Synthesises the complex viewpoints of others, recognises where compromise is necessary and brokers agreement.
• Advocates positively for the OSDC both within and outside the organisation.

Building and Managing Relationships:

Level 3 indicators of effective performance:

• Actively engages partners and encourages others to build relationships that support OSDC objectives.
• Understands and recognises the contributions that staff at all levels make to delivering priorities.
• Proactively manages partner relationships, preventing or resolving any conflict.
• Adapts style to work effectively with partners, building consensus, trust and respect.
• Delivers objectives by bringing together diverse stakeholders to work effectively in partnership.

Decision Making:

Level 2 indicator of effective performance:

• Takes decisions as necessary on the basis of the information available.
• Makes decisions without unnecessarily referring to others.
• Involves and consults internal and external stakeholders early in decisions that impact them.
• Identifies potential barriers to decision-making and initiates action to move a situation forward.
• Demonstrates awareness of the OSDC’s decision-making processes and how to use them.

Planning and Organising:

Level 2 indicator of effective performance:

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables.
• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and milestones.
• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work.
• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team’s work is delivered to a high standard.
• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met.

This role is based at 19-23 Wells Street, London W1T 3PQ with an expectation of hybrid working in the office 2/3 days a week.