Lead Officer – Planning Enforcement in Kingston upon Thames

We’re looking for an experienced and authoritative planning enforcement professional to lead Kingston’s Planning Enforcement function. This is a senior, highly influential role, ensuring development across the borough is lawful, responsible and consistent with the public interest, while protecting amenity, heritage and community confidence in the planning system.

Kingston operates within one of London’s most complex planning environments, balancing growth and regeneration with heritage protection, residential amenity and environmental standards. The borough faces increasing enforcement pressures including unauthorised development, HMOs, short-term lets, listed buildings, advertisement control and non-compliance with conditions and legal agreements. This role sits at the heart of these challenges, shaping a firm, fair and trusted enforcement service.

What you’ll do:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Kingston’s Planning Enforcement function.
• Act as the Council’s senior professional expert on planning enforcement legislation, policy and case law.
• Lead on the most complex, sensitive and high-profile enforcement investigations across the borough.
• Ensure enforcement decisions are robust, defensible, proportionate and clearly aligned with public interest tests.
• Oversee and, where necessary, personally lead investigations into breaches including unauthorised development, listed buildings, HMOs, short-term lets, advertisements, and non-compliance with conditions and Section 106 obligations.
• Direct the preparation and service of formal enforcement notices and legal actions.
• Lead on enforcement appeals and prosecutions, acting as expert witness at hearings, inquiries and court proceedings where required.
• Work closely with Legal Services to agree appropriate enforcement strategies and litigation routes.
• Lead the implementation, review and ongoing development of Kingston’s Planning Enforcement Plan.
• Build strong relationships with Members, residents, community groups, ward councillors and external agencies.
• Provide professional leadership, mentoring and quality assurance to enforcement officers, promoting consistent, fair and lawful decision-making.
• Support service modernisation, digital working and continuous improvement, deputising for the Head of Service on enforcement matters when required.

What we’re looking for:

• Degree in Town Planning or a related built-environment discipline (or equivalent professional qualification).
• Chartered Member of the RTPI (or eligible for chartered membership) or membership of an appropriate professional body.
• Significant experience in planning enforcement, ideally within a London borough or comparable urban authority.
• Proven track record leading complex enforcement cases, appeals and prosecutions.
• Strong experience advising Members and senior officers in politically sensitive environments.
• Expert knowledge of planning enforcement legislation, policy and case law.
• Excellent judgement, negotiation and communication skills, with the ability to manage conflict and maintain public confidence.
• Experience acting as expert witness at appeals or court proceedings (highly desirable).

Join us and safeguard Kingston’s built environment — leading a confident, professional enforcement service that protects communities, heritage and the integrity of the planning system.