Senior Planning Officer (Development Management)

This is an exciting opportunity to join North Norfolk District Council. With a recently adopted Local Plan, significant site allocations coming forward, a five-year housing land supply and work commencing on the next Plan under the new plan making system we are expanding our teams and looking for motivated and ambitious planners seeking a fresh challenge by working in a unique and special area.

With an area famed for its stunning coastline and big skies, a designated national landscape, 2,000+ listed buildings, 84 conservation areas, numerous European protected sites and various ecological interests amongst many other things, there is a lot to think about when managing growth ambitions, whatever scale of development. We are seeking to expand our Development Management Team to help realise our growth ambitions.

Our Senior Planning Officers:

• process and make recommendations on an individual caseload of planning and other applications; to ensure that decisions made, and advice given accord with the Councils policies, Government advice and good planning practice.
• provide and offer advice and guidance to prospective applicants, consultants, and members of the public prior to submission of applications and on general planning matters.
• prepare and provide written evidence and act as expert witness on the Council’s behalf at public inquiries and hearings.
• advise/liaise with elected Members in relation to planning and enforcement matters in the area.
• attend and present applications to Development Committee and undertake Committee site visits.

We are looking for people who can deliver good quality outcomes through the planning process, can communicate effectively with a wider audience and can deliver timely decisions. The successful candidate will:

• Have a degree and professional qualification in Town Planning
• Be a Full member of the RTPI (or eligible for Full membership)
• Be able to demonstrate competency at using IT Systems
• Be able to demonstrate the Experience, Knowledge, Skills, Aptitude and Disposition required for the role

Applications for part time hours will be considered. Closing Date: 11.59pm on Sunday 21 June 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applicants.

For an informal discussion, please contact Geoff Lyon (Development Manager), Colin Reuben (Team Leader) or Phillip Rowson (Team Leader).

North Norfolk is a fantastic place to live, work and visit. It covers 360 sq miles of coastal and rural environment, with over 100,000 people living in 120 distinct communities. Our district is one of England's top holiday destinations and a place where people positively choose to live. We're committed to promoting equality of opportunity for the people and communities of North Norfolk. We respect and value differences in our district and across our workforce, and we want everyone to feel included and able to play their part in making North Norfolk a great place to live, learn, work and visit.

Our coast and environment are extremely important to us. Recognising that North Norfolk faces a very real threat from climate change, the Council has declared a climate emergency. We have developed a Net Zero strategy to support our ambitions and all staff have a role to play in meeting our carbon reduction targets. We have a supportive culture that enables our people to learn and grow through attending courses, e-learning, and their daily job roles. We provide excellent opportunities for communication through updates from Directors and the Chief Executive.

As one of the largest employers in the district, we offer several benefits to all our employees:

• employee assistance program
• discounts portal
• salary sacrifice schemes (bikes, home electricals and EV car leasing - available after completion of probation period)

You will also enjoy:

• a good work-life balance, with many roles following our hybrid approach to work (if your role supports hybrid working, all we ask is that you have a stable and reliable internet connection)
• 25 days' holiday per year, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service (assuming the role is full-time)
• access to an excellent local government pension scheme based on your local authority career average earnings

We encourage applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.