Assistant Planner

• East Suffolk Council, East Suffolk House, Melton, Woodbridge and Riverside, Lowestoft

• £25,598 to £42,839 per annum

• Band 4/7 (SCP 12 to 32)

• 37 hours per week

• Permanent

East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. We currently have an exciting new opportunity to join the East Suffolk Development Management Team as a Trainee / Assistant Planner.

This career grade opportunity offers entry at Trainee Planner, Assistant Planner, or Planner level, depending on your qualifications, skills, and experience as outlined in the Person Specification. For candidates joining at Trainee or Assistant level, the role provides a clear development pathway towards becoming a fully qualified and chartered Planner, with support to achieve Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI).

Key Responsibilities:
This is an exciting opportunity to develop a successful career in Planning while working towards a recognised professional qualification. The successful candidate will be supported to undertake an RTPI-accredited Planning Master's degree, gaining the knowledge, skills and experience required to achieve a full professional Planning qualification and progress within the service.

Working within Development Management, you will manage a varied caseload of planning applications, ranging from householder and minor developments through to more complex proposals. You will provide pre-application advice, engage with applicants, developers, agents, consultees and legal representatives, and work collaboratively across Council services to deliver high-quality development outcomes. The role includes undertaking site visits, assessing applications, preparing delegated and committee reports, drafting decision notices, negotiating planning obligations, presenting at Planning Committee, and supporting planning appeals and enforcement investigations where required.

You will also play a key role in providing professional planning advice to internal stakeholders, supporting Members and colleagues, responding to public enquiries, and ensuring accurate record keeping in line with established procedures. Through a broad range of responsibilities including planning enforcement, heritage, tree work, complaint investigation and condition monitoring, you will gain valuable practical experience and contribute to the delivery of an efficient, customer-focused Planning Service while promoting the Council’s values and objectives.