Principal Planning Officer (Large Major's Team)
| Posting date: | 02 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £52,033 to £56,858 per year, pro rata |
| Additional salary information: | Car Allowance + Market Supplement (£5K) (subject to qualification) |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 April 2026 |
| Location: | Maidstone, Kent |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Maidstone Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Due to internal promotion, we have an opportunity for a full time Principal Planning Officer to join our Large Major’s team, as part of the Development Management function on a permanent contract.
Development Management is the front line of the planning service within the Regeneration and Place Directorate, covering planning applications and appeals, enforcement, and specialist heritage, landscape and trees advice. Work is organised across majors, minors and other teams, supported by enforcement, technical support and S106/CIL colleagues, with close links to Planning Policy, Building Control and Legal. Planning application validation is delivered by Mid Kent Planning Services (shared with Swale Borough Council).
Maidstone, Kent’s county town and administrative centre, offers a varied planning context: around 40,000 hectares and approximately 171,800 residents (around 75% in the urban area); a strong commercial and retail centre (one of the largest in the South East); and a substantial rural hinterland with high-quality designated landscapes. Around 27% of the borough lies within the Kent Downs National Landscape (formerly AONB) and it includes a small area of Metropolitan Green Belt (1.3%), alongside 41 conservation areas and over 2,000 listed buildings. The adopted Local Plan Review’s spatial strategy includes a focus on two garden communities (up to 5,000 and 2,000 dwellings), a strategic development location at Invicta Barracks, employment sites, and the urban area and other settlements as the focus for development offering the opportunity to help deliver varied high-quality major projects.
As a Principal Planning Officer in the Large Major’s team, you will determine a wide range of applications, working on schemes for more than 50 dwellings, major commercial development, corporate projects and associated submissions. Work includes urban and town centre regeneration housing and commercial developments, urban edge developments, and greenfield housing schemes, with a strong emphasis on delivering high-quality development and necessary infrastructure. You will lead on large major proposals and have opportunity to work closely as part of the team on garden communities and strategic sites. Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, applicants, agents, councillors and others. Attendance at Planning Committee will be required when necessary; the committee meets once a month in the evening at Maidstone Town Hall.
This role is offered on a 37 hour week, with office-based working at least two days per week and flexible home working on an agreed basis.
About Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Borough Council is an ambitious organisation focused on delivering high-quality services to residents and local businesses, strengthening the borough’s attractiveness and economy, and building a financially sustainable future through innovation and improvement.
We value our people and will support you with training, development and fair reward, in a positive environment where your ideas for improvement are encouraged and new ways of working are managed well.
Our Offer:
• Flexible hybrid working
• Flexi time (7am–7pm) for most roles
• Generous annual leave (increases after 5 years LG service) + bank holidays; option to buy more
• Extra 3 days’ leave (Christmas/New Year office closure)
• Free parking
• Flexible options (compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time)
• Staff events and wellbeing activities
• Employee Assistance Programme (confidential support)
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life assurance (3x annual salary for LGPS members)
• Season Ticket Loan (rail/bus)
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme (includes insurance, servicing, road tax)
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff discounts (leisure, eating out, holidays, shopping)
• Learning and career development opportunities
• Professional fee payment (if required)
About You:
We are looking for a proactive team player with a relevant degree (or equivalent) and experience of large major planning applications and place making/design skills, with appeals experience and an understanding of enforcement. You will be confident engaging a wide range of stakeholders and able to provide clear, balanced professional advice.
You will be well organised, IT confident and able to meet deadlines, with a strong customer focus and excellent written and verbal communication, including experience working with the public. You will require a valid UK driving licence and the ability to travel around the borough to visit sites as required.
Selection Process:
After you submit your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Successful candidates will be invited to a job-specific interview assessment followed by an interview.
This post is considered to require political sensitivity and the councils’ Politically Restricted Posts Policy applies. If you would like further information on this, please contact us at hrsupportteam@midkent.gov.uk.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact: Rachael Elliott, Major Planning Applications Manager (Development Management) on 01622 602466
Job Description and Person Specification: https://docs.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs/Principal-Planning-Officer-Major-Projects-JDPS-MBC-Mar26.pdf
Interview Date: w/c 27th April 2026
Development Management is the front line of the planning service within the Regeneration and Place Directorate, covering planning applications and appeals, enforcement, and specialist heritage, landscape and trees advice. Work is organised across majors, minors and other teams, supported by enforcement, technical support and S106/CIL colleagues, with close links to Planning Policy, Building Control and Legal. Planning application validation is delivered by Mid Kent Planning Services (shared with Swale Borough Council).
Maidstone, Kent’s county town and administrative centre, offers a varied planning context: around 40,000 hectares and approximately 171,800 residents (around 75% in the urban area); a strong commercial and retail centre (one of the largest in the South East); and a substantial rural hinterland with high-quality designated landscapes. Around 27% of the borough lies within the Kent Downs National Landscape (formerly AONB) and it includes a small area of Metropolitan Green Belt (1.3%), alongside 41 conservation areas and over 2,000 listed buildings. The adopted Local Plan Review’s spatial strategy includes a focus on two garden communities (up to 5,000 and 2,000 dwellings), a strategic development location at Invicta Barracks, employment sites, and the urban area and other settlements as the focus for development offering the opportunity to help deliver varied high-quality major projects.
As a Principal Planning Officer in the Large Major’s team, you will determine a wide range of applications, working on schemes for more than 50 dwellings, major commercial development, corporate projects and associated submissions. Work includes urban and town centre regeneration housing and commercial developments, urban edge developments, and greenfield housing schemes, with a strong emphasis on delivering high-quality development and necessary infrastructure. You will lead on large major proposals and have opportunity to work closely as part of the team on garden communities and strategic sites. Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, applicants, agents, councillors and others. Attendance at Planning Committee will be required when necessary; the committee meets once a month in the evening at Maidstone Town Hall.
This role is offered on a 37 hour week, with office-based working at least two days per week and flexible home working on an agreed basis.
About Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Borough Council is an ambitious organisation focused on delivering high-quality services to residents and local businesses, strengthening the borough’s attractiveness and economy, and building a financially sustainable future through innovation and improvement.
We value our people and will support you with training, development and fair reward, in a positive environment where your ideas for improvement are encouraged and new ways of working are managed well.
Our Offer:
• Flexible hybrid working
• Flexi time (7am–7pm) for most roles
• Generous annual leave (increases after 5 years LG service) + bank holidays; option to buy more
• Extra 3 days’ leave (Christmas/New Year office closure)
• Free parking
• Flexible options (compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time)
• Staff events and wellbeing activities
• Employee Assistance Programme (confidential support)
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life assurance (3x annual salary for LGPS members)
• Season Ticket Loan (rail/bus)
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme (includes insurance, servicing, road tax)
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff discounts (leisure, eating out, holidays, shopping)
• Learning and career development opportunities
• Professional fee payment (if required)
About You:
We are looking for a proactive team player with a relevant degree (or equivalent) and experience of large major planning applications and place making/design skills, with appeals experience and an understanding of enforcement. You will be confident engaging a wide range of stakeholders and able to provide clear, balanced professional advice.
You will be well organised, IT confident and able to meet deadlines, with a strong customer focus and excellent written and verbal communication, including experience working with the public. You will require a valid UK driving licence and the ability to travel around the borough to visit sites as required.
Selection Process:
After you submit your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Successful candidates will be invited to a job-specific interview assessment followed by an interview.
This post is considered to require political sensitivity and the councils’ Politically Restricted Posts Policy applies. If you would like further information on this, please contact us at hrsupportteam@midkent.gov.uk.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact: Rachael Elliott, Major Planning Applications Manager (Development Management) on 01622 602466
Job Description and Person Specification: https://docs.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs/Principal-Planning-Officer-Major-Projects-JDPS-MBC-Mar26.pdf
Interview Date: w/c 27th April 2026
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