Planning Support Officer

Are you an organised and customer-focused professional looking to contribute to the vital work of local planning?

We’re looking for a proactive and detail-oriented Planning Support Officer to join our busy and supportive Planning Services team.

Based in Coleford, Forest of Dean, this permanent role offers an exciting opportunity to support planning applications that shape our local communities.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll play a key part in supporting the smooth running of our planning services by:

• Registering planning applications, checking plans and technical documents for accuracy
• Liaising with applicants, consultees, and Council Members to ensure applications are ready for proper assessment
• Handling application fees, payments, receipts, and refunds via phone and email
• Maintaining accurate internal records and data
• Supporting colleagues across the service as needed

This is a hands‑on role in which you'll learn about planning processes while building strong working relationships across departments and with the public.

What we’re looking for:

• Qualifications equivalent to NVQ level 1 or GCSE in Maths and English
• Understanding of the issues affecting Planning
• Ability and/or aptitude to deal with professionals and the general public within a customer-oriented service
• Good level of IT skills - MS Office and aptitude to learn new IT skills (experience of Uniform IT system useful)
• Communicates effectively at all levels (good verbal and written skills)

Special conditions

• There may be a requirement to work at other Publica Group (Support) Ltd and/or client locations to meet the needs of the business
• You will be expected to work reasonable additional hours in line with the needs of the service
• Ability to travel

What we can do for you

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays and an extra two volunteering days off a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Renewed again for another year there is a health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Pension scheme with a good employer contribution of up to 7% of your earnings
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements
• Additional income protection, covering 50% of your salary for potentially a further five years if you are unable to work due to sickness or injury
• Life assurance, currently four times your annual salary

About Us

You will be employed by Publica Group Ltd which was created by four partner Councils (West Oxfordshire District Council, Cotswold District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Forest of Dean District Council) to deliver more efficient and improved services.

Publica is committed to meeting its statutory and moral duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people under 18 years of age and adults at risk who are the recipients of its services and/or activities.

Publica is a unique place to work, established to transform the way local services are delivered, fundamentally rethinking the way our services are designed and delivered in a digital era, making us a customer-focused organisation driven by real user needs.