POST TITLE: Senior Planning Officer

SECTION: Planning (Development Management) 
 
SALARY: Grade 10/11 £39,391 - £47,999 pa plus up to £5,000 market supplement and essential car user allowance

Location: Maidstone, Kent 

Contract: Permanent – Full time 37 hours

About the Role

Due to internal promotion, we have an opportunity for two full time Senior Planning Officers to join our Development Management team on a permanent contract. One post within the householders/others team and the other within the Large Majors team.
 
‘Development Management’ is the ‘coal face’ of the planning service, part of the Regeneration and Place Directorate. There are three teams, ‘large majors’, ‘major/minors’ and ‘householders/others’ teams handling planning applications, appeals and associated work. The wider team incorporates an Enforcement, Heritage, Landscape and Trees, together with technical support. There are close working relationships with Building Control, Planning Policy, s106/CIL team, Economic Development & Legal Services. The validation of planning applications is undertaken by Mid Kent Planning Services which is shared with Swale Borough Council.

As a Senior Planning Officer in the householders/others team, you will be determining a wide range of applications, including householder, adverts, change of use, breaches, telecommunications, discharge of conditions and Certificates of Lawfulness in an area experiencing one of the highest numbers of applications in Kent. This will involve liaising with internal and external stakeholders, applicants, agents, Councillors and others involved in the planning process. Attendance at the planning committee would be required, when necessary; the committee meets once a month and meetings take place in the evening, at Maidstone’s Town Hall. You will be in a position to offer supervisory support and training to junior members of staff with some signing off powers to support the Team Leader as required and depending on experience. 

As a Senior Planning Officer in the large major’s team, you will be determining a wide range of applications; these will include schemes for larger than 50 dwellings, major commercial schemes, corporate projects and submission of details, legal agreements and other associated applications. There will be the opportunity to be involved and shadow principal planning officers in the local plan allocated garden settlement schemes and large major schemes. This will involve liaising with internal and external stakeholders, applicants, agents, Councillors and others involved in the planning process. Attendance at the planning committee would be required, when necessary; the committee meets once a month and meetings take place in the evening, at Maidstone’s Town Hall. 

These roles are being offered on a 37 hour week, with office based working at least two days per week with flexible home working on an agreed basis as part of the Council’s approach to offer employees a range of flexible working opportunities.

About Maidstone Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy. We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.

We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and, in return, you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.

Our Offer:

A range of benefits including:

- Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
- 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
- Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years’ LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave
- Additional 3 days’ leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New Year
- Free parking
- Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, and part time
- Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
- Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family
- Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
- Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/bus journey, to & from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
- Annual flu vaccine
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff benefits, including discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
- Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
- A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You:

For both positions, we are looking for a strong team player, with enthusiasm and a real desire to make further improvement happen and take initiative. 

You will have a degree in a relevant subject, or the equivalent, with experience of dealing with planning applications, planning enforcement and/or appeals.

You will also have self-organisation and strong IT skills and be able to meet deadlines. For this post, you will need to have a keen customer focus and have experience working with members of the public as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

You will require a valid UK driving licence and the ability to travel around the borough to visit sites as required.

Selection Process:

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting managers. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect a job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

To apply for one of the positions, please visit https://www.maidstone.gov.uk/jobsand complete the online application form for the relevant position, or by phone on 01622 602555.

If you would like to be considered for both positions, please state this clearly in your application – you need only complete one application form.

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss these opportunities, please contact:

For the ‘Householder/Others’ position, please contact Diane Chaplin, Householder Team Leader (Development Management) on 01622 602070 or email [email protected]

Or for the ‘Large Majors’ position, please contact Rachael Elliott, Major Planning Applications Manager (Development Management) on 01622 602466 or email[email protected]

Closing Date: 23rd November 2025
Interview Date: w/c 1st December 2025