Principal Planning Officer

• Principal_Planning_Officer__Strategic_Development_

At Arun District Council, we are continuously working to improve wellbeing, housing, the environment and the economy within the district. We care about making a difference to those who live, work, and visit Arun, and you could be that difference.

Overall Job Purpose:

We are looking for an ambitious, skilled and motivated planner to join our Strategic Development Team.

You will play a key role in the evaluation and determination of a wide range of planning applications, focusing on the delivery of the strategic allocations within the Local Plan. Providing a great opportunity to develop your professional skills and gain experience of dealing with major development.

As a Principal Planner you will also help to shape the future of our service and play a vital role in mentoring colleagues and helping them to develop.

To succeed in this role, you will:

• Be a qualified town planner (or hold a related qualification).
• Have significant experience of development management processes including dealing with planning appeals.
• Having experience of preparing reports, appeal statements and presenting applications at Planning Committee.
• You will be a strong negotiator.
• Process excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Be passionate about design quality, sustainability and community engagement.

This post will suit someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants to help shape future growth in the District.

For more information about joining the Strategic Development Team, the role profile is located at the bottom of this advert. It details the main duties of the job as well as the behaviours and competencies (evaluated at interview stage).

We love to invest in our people, providing the opportunity for professional development and fulfilment. Work life balance is encouraged, and we enjoy a variety of flexible working arrangements. Please see Why work for Arun for more information on what Arun offers their employees.

We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, veteran, neurodiversity status or disability.

For support with your application and CV writing, please visit Applying for a job with us. If you need further support with the application process, please contact Askhr, regarding alternative ways to apply.

For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Neil Crowther, Group Head of Planning on 01903 737839

CLOSING DATE: 9 February 2026 23:59pm