Town Planning Manager in Leicester

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

About the Company

Our client is a leading UK housebuilder with an established regional presence across the East Midlands. The business has a strong pipeline of residential development opportunities and is committed to delivering high-quality homes and sustainable communities.

As part of continued growth, they are looking to appoint an experienced Town Planning Manager to join their Leicester-based team.

The Role

Reporting to the senior planning leadership team, you will take responsibility for managing a varied portfolio of residential planning projects, from early-stage site appraisal and acquisition through to planning consent and delivery.

You will play a key role in shaping the planning strategy for both immediate and strategic development sites, working closely with the Land, Technical, Development and Construction teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage planning applications for residential development, including outline, full and reserved matters applications.
• Assess potential development sites, including planning histories, policy considerations, constraints and opportunities.
• Develop and implement planning strategies for immediate and longer-term strategic sites.
• Prepare, coordinate and review planning statements, supporting documents and other application material.
• Manage external planning consultants and specialist advisers, ensuring projects are delivered to agreed timescales and budgets.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with Local Planning Authorities, statutory consultees, landowners and other stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal design and technical teams to ensure proposals respond effectively to planning requirements.
• Manage the discharge of planning conditions and assist with Section 106 negotiations and associated agreements.
• Monitor changes to local, regional and national planning policy and assess their implications for the business.
• Attend planning committees, stakeholder meetings, public consultations and site meetings where required.
• Provide professional planning advice to the wider business and contribute to land acquisition and investment decisions.
• Support the progression of sites through the planning system to help maintain a strong development pipeline.

About You

You will be an experienced planning professional with a strong understanding of the UK planning system and, ideally, significant experience within residential development.

We are looking for someone who can combine sound technical planning knowledge with commercial awareness and strong stakeholder management skills.

You will ideally have:

• A degree or postgraduate qualification in Town Planning or a related discipline.
• MRTPI membership or a clear pathway towards chartership.
• Proven experience managing residential planning applications and development projects.
• Strong knowledge of the planning policy and development management framework.
• Experience working with Local Planning Authorities and external consultants.
• Experience of planning negotiations, Section 106 agreements and planning conditions.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A commercially focused and proactive approach.
• The ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

What's on Offer

This is an excellent opportunity to join an established housebuilding business in a senior planning position, with responsibility for a diverse portfolio of residential development projects across the region.

You will have the opportunity to influence the planning strategy of significant development sites while working closely with experienced professionals across land, planning, technical and development functions.

The company offers a competitive salary and benefits package, together with opportunities for professional development and career progression.