Planning Officer

This role is open to full time, part time, and job share applications, all of which will be assessed equally.

Join our team

We are seeking two talented and ambitious Planning Officers to join our busy Development Management Team. 

If you share our values and you are motivated to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

This is a Career Grade role, therefore offering fantastic opportunities to develop and progress your career within planning.

In this role, you will:

• Examine and evaluate all types of planning applications made under the Town and Country Planning Acts and related legislation. 
• Assess whether proposals are in accordance with Council’s policies, considering the needs of the local community and liaising with specialist technical officers from other directorates.
• Offer sound pre-application advice in terms of requirements for planning permission, general acceptability of development proposals and in respect of planning policy advice.
• Attend meetings with planning agents/applicants on site and virtually via Microsoft Teams following up with written responses.
• Review site histories, spatial constraints and the current planning regulations to assist with general planning enquiries.
• Require a full driving licence as this role includes carrying out site visits and attending site meetings across our rural districts.

About you

You may be an entry level Planner or a more experienced Planning Officer seeking a fresh challenge or a graduate seeking to gain work experience within a local authority.

You will need to demonstrate a keen interest in the Planning process and will be motivated to help us positively shape our environment through fostering sustainable growth and the delivery of the right homes and jobs, in the right places. 

A team player, also able to work on your own initiative, you will be solutions-focused, with an appetite for effective collaboration.  

You will be an effective communicator, who can work with our key stakeholders in implementing our spatial vision for the districts as we deliver our new Joint Local Plan for our communities.

Strong IT skills are essential and experience in report writing would be advantageous. 

In return we can offer opportunities for continued professional development and progression within the career grade scheme.
 

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• two National Landscapes
• many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page.

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For more information

If you wish to discuss the hybrid working approach for this role, or for an informal discussion, please contact Julie Havard, Business Practice Manager, by either calling 01473 296342 or emailing j[email protected]

Please read theJob Description (pdf)and thePerson Specification (pdf)before applying for this job opportunity.

Closing date: 5.00 pm, 26 May 2026.

Promoted as FJ (Featured Job) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.

How to apply

Please ensure your: 

• application form is fully completed, including employment and education history
• supporting statement clearly addresses how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.