Planning Enforcement Officer

Planning Enforcement Officer – Closing date 14.03.2024
Salary from £28,053 to £37,884 pa depending on skills & experience (pay award pending)
PLUS subsidised lease car/cash alternative of £2,080 pa
PLUS, ` Enhanced Recruitment Payment` of up to 10% of starting salary
Flexible hybrid working

We are an ambitious local authority in the Garden of England, strategically located between London and the Channel Tunnel / Dover with established high-speed train links to London. We are the largest borough in Kent with two towns (Ashford & the ‘Jewel in the Weald’ town of Tenterden). We have numerous villages set within glorious countryside, 43 conservation areas, over 3,000 listed buildings and two large areas of outstanding natural beauty all of which combine to create the iconic Kentish ‘Garden’ image. These factors, coupled with a range of exciting planning opportunities and challenges at our main town of Ashford, make the borough a great place to invest, live and work.

We aim to ensure that these attractive qualities are protected from inappropriate development, and that the community has confidence in the planning system as they experience it. We have an effective pro-active customer-focused enforcement team with good town planning problem-solving skills which is vital to achieving that aim.

The Planning Enforcement team covers the entire borough. The team reviews planning records, investigates matters on-site according to their priority against our adopted Local Enforcement Plan, seeks to understand local community sensitivities and concerns, prepares reports and recommendations setting out the most effective action to remedy breaches of control, monitors compliance with agreed actions and, if formal enforcement is unavoidable, works with legal colleagues in a timely manner to take forward that action and deal with any appeals that arise.

This role would suit   already with some experience of operating within a legal framework and knowledge of the UK Town & Country Planning System. The post is career graded so that a successful applicant wishing to achieve a Royal Town Planning Institute planning qualification through the successful completion of external training which would be funded by the Council has the scope to progress further within the salary range.

We operate hybrid working and have a well-used planning department zone in our town centre Ashford office that enables us to meet, learn and collaborate (as well as socialise!).

For an informal discussion please contact Team Leader Joanne Alexander on 01233-330-266.

Click to view a Job Description

If you are interested in this role then please apply now as we are currently shortlisting and interviewing and will be looking at applications as they get submitted

To apply please forward your CV to recruitment@ashford.gov.uk or click here.  to complete an application form which is found on the jobs page of our website www.ashford.gov.uk/jobs

Hybrid Working - We are an organisation that puts people first and understands how important employee wellbeing is. We want to help you to balance your working life and home life and offer flexible ways of working to help structure your life in a positive and productive way; both at home and in the office. This maximises personal development and collaborative working.     

Competitive remuneration package - We offer an excellent salary linked pension scheme, generous annual leave with flexi time, free life insurance, supportive relocation package and opportunities for training and development.

Ashford Borough Council recognises the need to ensure the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults when they come into contact with the services we provide