The purpose of the role, in combination with the rest of the DM planning officer team, is to provide a Development Management Service that is efficient, effective, meets and exceeds performance targets and provides high quality output. A service is delivered which is responsive to customer needs and works in a way that is proactive and seeks to improve, wherever there are opportunities to do so.

In the DM planning officer team, Principal Planning Officers are one of the more senior roles. Post holders are responsible for more complex work, for proactively managing work, to actively add value to development schemes, to exemplify place making and for seeking to identify solutions to problems that may arise during the course of the delivery of the service. Principal Planning Officers play a key role, as part of the team, in supporting the delivery of significant new development sites in the District.

Operational Responsibilities

Principal Planning Officers are responsible for a case load of complex, generally major planning, and related applications, including pre-application submissions across the district which can raise extensive issues. Principal Planning Officer post holders work together as a team, being assigned to cases across the district, deputising for team leaders and service managers and ensuring the work of other Principal Planning Officer post holders at this level is covered during absences.

Principal Planning Officers proactively manage their case load, project managing and being responsible for all stages from initial assessment, through to committee reporting, legal agreements, conditions and appeals. Principal Officers will be expected to present their case work to decision making committees and in other public fora. They will identify the resources required to deliver their caseload and will work proactively to identify solutions to issues that arise.

Principal Planning Officers are to proactively keep abreast of case law, national and local policies and community needs to ensure that the planning process can deliver the appropriate outputs and outcomes.

Principal Planning Officers will, applying their professional judgement, seek to ensure that development of the highest quality is secured, meeting policy and corporate objectives, delivering in accordance with corporate aspirations, place shaping and creating quality new places. Principal Planning Officers take a proactive approach to identifying and resolving problems that arise in the course of the work. The process includes public consultation on the proposals, the identification of all relevant issues and the consideration, negotiation, assessment and resolution of issues and the preparation of a recommendation for the decision to be made.

Principal Planning Officers play an important role in the delivery of significant new development in the District (as allocated in the East Herts District Plan 2018, other major windfall sites) and complex minor applications. This may see Principal Planning Officers either leading the DM input with regard to the development of sites or they may support other members of the team who are acting as a lead. In either case they are expected to support, guide and ensure that emerging development proposals meet the East Herts Master Planning requirements and are aligned to corporate and planning policy objectives.

Principal Planning Officers will generally deal with appeals that are to be determined through the hearing and public inquiry processes, but can be assigned to cases delivered through all routes.

Principal Planning Officers act as a decision making officer with other staff in the team as appropriate, determining applications dealt with by more junior officer colleagues, in accordance with the scheme of delegation. Post holders will receive support and training to enable them to progress to the position where they are able to solely undertake delegated decision making for the more complex application types. They will assist managers to ensure that all planning and related applications are delivered to a high standard within agreed performance management indicators.

Principal Planning Officers are responsible for ensuring proactive delivery of high quality outcomes, looking to achieve improvement in planning and development schemes where appropriate and the delivery of cases in accordance with established performance management indicators. They are required to undertake all tasks appropriate to the senior level of the role to ensure the delivery of the service. There will be opportunities to, and Officers may request or be required, to input into project work outside of the delivery of the development management service, either through service improvement projects or into corporate project work.

Principal Planning Officers will be expected to display and demonstrate the council's values and behaviours, looking to support, assist and improve the delivery of the service to customers.

Whilst assigned to the development management service, Principal Planning Officers can request and may be required to input into, support and deliver the work of the planning policy service.

Principal Planning Officers will be expected to make any needed changes to overcome any factor that puts a disabled employee or applicant at a disadvantage.

Management /Supervisory Responsibilities

Principal Planning Officers will deputise for team leaders in their absence. They are expected to work as a team supporting the delivery of the major planning application work and covering the work of their Principal Planning Officer colleagues in the team during absences.

Principal Planning Officers are expected to provide guidance, training, support, provide mentoring and assist with problem solving for Planning and Assistant Planning Officers.

Principal Planning Officers will be responsible for the procurement and management of the output of the work of external consultants including expert advice, in accordance with the Councils procedures.

Contacts

Principal Planning Officers come into contact with a wide range of customers. They are expected to display and demonstrate the values and behaviours of the Council in all contacts, to ensure the delivery of a high quality and respected service. Contacts should be dealt with proactively, seeking to maximise the benefits that can be delivered by the service in co-operation with customers.

Contacts will include applicants, third parties affected by development, community, residents and special interest groups, statutory and non-statutory bodies, MPs, other public service providers including HCC, council members including Executive Members, other elected representatives, developer interests, service and infrastructure delivery providers, internal customers including colleagues throughout the council, service managers, directors, other senior managers, chief executive as well as significant developers.

Eden Brown is committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. Eden Brown is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy