Principal Planning Officer in Cirencester

Shape the Future of the Cotswolds. Are you an ambitious and experienced planner looking to work on some of the country’s most complex and rewarding planning projects in one of the UK’s most distinctive landscapes? We are seeking a Principal Planning Officer to join our ambitious and forward‑thinking Planning Service in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds, helping to deliver sustainable growth across an area renowned for its natural beauty, historic towns, and ambitious regeneration and commercial development opportunities.

Working within a collaborative Planning Service of around 40 professionals across Development Management, Policy, and Natural and Built Environment teams, you will lead a small sub‑team of planners while managing a diverse caseload of major, strategic, commercial, and sensitive planning applications. The role offers the opportunity to work on a wide range of high‑profile planning projects, including major residential, commercial, heritage, and rural developments within the unique Cotswolds landscape. Alongside casework, you will contribute to service improvement initiatives, strategic projects, and the modernisation of planning processes.

This influential role requires strong technical planning skills, excellent judgement, and the confidence to engage effectively with Members, developers, consultants, parish councils, and local communities. We are looking for an organised and proactive planner who is ready to step into a leadership role, mentor junior colleagues, and help shape the future of planning within a dynamic and highly regarded authority. If you’re passionate about good place‑making, mentoring others, and shaping the future of planning in the Cotswolds, we’d love to hear from you.

• A planning or related degree.
• Eligibility for full Membership of the RTPI.
• The ability to facilitate and manage ongoing change.
• The ability to inspire and successfully motivate others towards shared objectives.
• Deliver commitments and take ownership of own caseload, reshaping plans to deliver required outcomes.

• Full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• This is a politically restricted appointment within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1989 and regulations made thereunder.

• 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, which increases to 30 days after five years of service.
• An extra two volunteering days per year to support a charity of your choice.
• A health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care.
• Generous contributory local government pension scheme.
• 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.

About Us: We are rightly proud of the businesses, communities and residents who live in this beautiful part of the world, putting them first and at the heart of everything we do. We’re busy recreating a council set up for success, which can deliver for the needs of our communities in a fast‑changing environment. That means we need to be fleet of foot and look for innovative and creative ways to deliver against our Corporate Plan priorities. That plan focuses on a range of important priorities including delivering good services for residents, responding to the climate emergency, supporting strong local communities, and evolving the district’s vibrant economy.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email. Our organisation 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. Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies.