Strategic Planner - Regeneration And Growth Strategies

Good Growth

Good Growth is responsible for delivering and implementing the Mayor’s environment, transport and economic strategies and for the effective implementation of the London Plan. The Directorate is also responsible for regeneration (where the programme is not housing led), enterprise, growth, capital projects and design work.

About the team

The Place Unit is a new jointly functioning unit formed from GLA [Regeneration & Growth Strategies] and TfL [Growth & Master planning] teams. It sits within the wider ecosystem of GLA Planning & Regeneration and TfL Spatial Planning and provides a key opportunity to discuss and triage cross-organisational and departmental issues / sensitivities / decision points more effectively. 

This role is in the Spatial Planning team where you will work to identify and bring forward the most appropriate process for planning for growth.

You will draw together and analyse information to identify strategic areas and corridors in London with potential for immediate and future growth potential. You will use your GIS mapping and urban design skills to support frameworks, plans and strategies working with TfL and London boroughs. The aim will be to bring together the aspirations of the Mayor, TfL and the boroughs for a growth area in a coherent future vision and deliverable spatial plan. 

You will also work closely with the London Plan team to analyse spatial development patterns and identify current areas that are not realising their potential and prospective new growth areas for homes and jobs.

You should have some knowledge and understanding of national and regional planning and development issues, legal processes and policy trends. In particular, you should have a good grasp of the spatial planning issues in London.

You will also need to be able to work successfully with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Principal accountabilities

• Within Regeneration & Growth Strategies support the production of Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks. The role will involve the review, analysis, interpretation and mapping of varying sources of information and evidence bases (such as data, reports, masterplans and Local Plans). This will inform the delivery of planning and design-led work at masterplanning and strategic scale and support the preparation of spatial strategies and the evidence and guidance supporting them.
• Briefings and reports for the Mayor, Assembly and other organisations on planning and spatial development issues. Assist in the design, management and completion of relevant policy development projects and research. Assist in providing advice on planning briefs, development proposals and the plans and strategies of other agencies especially Local Development Documents and the development plans of adjacent authorities.  Contribute to coordination, liaison and engagement processes necessary to address spatial development and planning issues. Assist in the preparation of responses on behalf of the GLA to complex issues raised by the public and diverse agencies. Work with GLA group staff and external organizations including boroughs, partnerships, consultancies, academic and voluntary agencies to address the Mayor’s planning and spatial development concerns. Assist in the representation of the Mayor’s planning and development policies, concerns and objectives to examinations in public (including those into Local Development Documents), commissions and public inquiries. Realise the benefits of London’s diversity by promoting and enabling equality of opportunities and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London’s communities. Realise the benefits of a flexible approach to work and participate in multi-disciplinary, cross-department and cross-organisational groups and project teams.  Person specification

   

  Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

   

  Grade 6

   

• Substantial progress towards a degree in Architecture/Urban Design/Town Planning or equivalent. An additional qualification or experience in Urban Planning is desirable. 
• Knowledge and understanding of national, regional and London strategic planning and development issues, legal processes, policy trends, and broad knowledge and understanding of local planning and regeneration issues and processes and a knowledge of urban design, place making, and masterplanning. 
• Good working knowledge of AutoCAD, Sketch Up, Adobe Creative Suite, and GIS programmes. The ability to convey spatial ideas graphically in a clear and compelling manner is important. This should be combined with skills in drawing and modelling masterplan and development plot lay outs convincingly and accurately, so that site development capacities can be derived and interrogated. 
• Evidence of an ability to investigate, analyse and present urban design solutions for spatial planning and regeneration issues. 
• Excellent communication skills; and evidence of ability to prepare clear and concise reports, presentations and briefings, including an ability to illustrate ideas through mapping and graphics presentations. 
• Grade 7 (in addition to Grade 6 requirements) 

   

• Qualification in Architecture/Urban Design/Town Planning with at least 1 year’s post-qualification professional experience. An additional qualification or experience in Urban Planning is desirable. 
• Broad understanding and experience in either: strategy or policy production, local plan-making and supplementary planning documents, projects and development frameworks, development management and strategic planning application assessments. 
• General understanding and experience of infrastructure planning, delivery and funding mechanisms, including S.106 agreements and community infrastructure levy (CIL). 
• Behavioural competencies

   

  Communicating and Influencing
  ...is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us

   

  Level 2 indicators of effective performance

   

  Communicates openly and inclusively with internal and external stakeholders Clearly articulates the key points of an argument, both in verbal and written communication Persuades others, using evidence based knowledge, modifying approach to deliver message effectively Challenges the views of others in an open and constructive way Presents a credible and positive image both internally and externally  Problem solving
  ...is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions 

   

  Level 2 indictors of effectiveness:

   

  Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully Proposes options for solutions to presented problems Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving  Research and analysis
  ...is gathering intelligence (information, opinion and data) from varied sources, making sense of it, testing its validity and drawing conclusions that can lead to practical benefits.

   

  Level 2 indicators of effectiveness

   

  Proactively seeks new information sources to progress research agendas and address gaps in knowledge Grasps limitations of or assumptions behind data sources, disregarding those that lack quality Analyses and integrates qualitative and quantitative data to find new insights Translates research outcomes into concise, meaningful reports  Identifies relevant and practical research questions for the future  London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL