Planning officer

About the job

Salary: £27,254 - £41,771 a year plus £963 essential car user allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent

The post is part of a graded progression pathway, with appointment at the starting level.

Luton Council is looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Planning Officer to help deliver high-quality Local and Neighbourhood Planning services. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to shaping the future of our vibrant and diverse town, supporting the Council in meeting its statutory planning duties, service targets and long-term growth ambitions.

As a Planning Officer, you will play a key part in the delivery of the Council’s Local Planning function. You will support policy development, provide professional planning advice, and contribute to a wide range of planning projects and initiatives. Your work will help ensure that Luton develops sustainably, responsibly, and in line with community needs.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting Local and Neighbourhood Planning activities.
• Preparing clear, robust planning documents, reports, and correspondence.
• Analysing maps, data and statistics to inform planning decisions.
• Engaging with residents, developers, stakeholders and partner agencies.
• Managing your own workload to meet tight deadlines and project requirements.
• Attending site visits inside and outside the Borough (approximately twice per month).
• Participating in occasional out-of-hours meetings or events (around once per month).

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience in town planning within a statutory framework or a closely related field.
• Possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Can confidently facilitate public discussions and negotiate with developers and stakeholders.
• Is able to clearly articulate complex planning matters to a wide range of audiences.
• Is numerate and capable of interpreting plans, maps, and statistical information.
• Is highly organised, self-motivated, and able to manage competing deadlines.
• Demonstrates strong IT skills, including proficiency in Word, Excel and Access (or equivalents).
• Understands the impact of discrimination on service users and colleagues and is committed to delivering inclusive services.
• Has sound knowledge of the principles and practices of Town Planning.
• Holds a Diploma or Degree in Town and Country Planning (or an equivalent qualification).

Why Join Us?

At Luton Council, you’ll be part of a team that is passionate about creating a thriving town for everyone. We offer:

• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunities for professional development
• The ability to make a meaningful impact on the future of Luton
• Flexible working arrangements (where appropriate)

If you’re committed to high-quality planning and want to contribute to Luton’s continued growth and success, we’d love to hear from you.

About us

Our ambitiousLuton 2040 Vision– that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough

Application Process

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

Benefits

We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

- From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

How to apply

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!

Our ‘How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply

Available documents

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

• download: Career Progression scheme (2023).pdf
• download: Luton_Values_Flyer.pdf
• download: Planning Officer Progression Scheme L4-L7 JD&PS.pdf