Senior Planner

  • Penguin Recruitment
  • Maidstone, Kent
  • 22/10/2026
Full time Construction Management Planner

Job Description

SENIOR TOWN PLANNER / TOWN PLANNER

Location: Kent/London
Salary: 35,000- 45,000, depending on experience

Are you an experienced Town Planner with a background in Development Consent Orders (DCOs) and nationally significant infrastructure projects? An established planning consultancy in Kent is looking to expand its team with a talented planning professional to support a growing infrastructure planning offering.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on complex, high-profile infrastructure projects while developing your expertise in consenting strategy, examination processes and national planning policy.

BENEFITS

  • Competitive salary of 35,000- 45,000, depending on experience
  • Opportunity to work on nationally significant infrastructure projects
  • Exposure to major schemes across energy, transport, water and waste
  • Varied workload combining infrastructure consenting and wider town planning projects
  • Opportunities for career progression and professional development
  • Chance to take ownership of complex projects and develop client relationships
  • Opportunity to mentor junior colleagues and contribute to business growth

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Advising clients on consenting strategies for nationally significant infrastructure projects.
  • Managing pre-application stages and supporting consultation and engagement processes.
  • Preparing and coordinating planning applications and supporting documentation.
  • Supporting clients throughout the examination process, including written representations, responses to Examining Authority questions, Statements of Common Ground and attendance at hearings.
  • Liaising with the Planning Inspectorate, local planning authorities, legal advisers and multidisciplinary project teams.
  • Monitoring changes to National Policy Statements and reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, advising clients on their practical implications.
  • Mentoring junior planners and contributing to business development and the growth of the infrastructure planning team.
  • Working on a broader range of Town and Country Planning Act projects to maintain a varied and interesting workload.

REQUIREMENTS

  • MRTPI qualified or close to achieving chartered status.
  • Demonstrable experience of at least one Development Consent Order (DCO) through pre-application, examination or both.
  • Experience gained within a consultancy, project promoter, local authority or the Planning Inspectorate.
  • Confidence managing complex, multidisciplinary workstreams and delivering against tight project programmes.
  • Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, robust and persuasive planning documents.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills and confidence engaging with clients, the public and external consultees.
  • Comfortable presenting at hearings and public consultation events.
  • Experience in sectors such as energy, transport, water or waste would be advantageous.

HOW TO APPLY

If you're a Town Planner or Senior Town Planner looking to develop your career in infrastructure planning and consenting, I'd love to hear from you.

Please send your CV to:

(url removed)