Braintree District Council is seeking an experienced and motivated Landscape Architect to join our Planning Service and help shape the future of our district. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in delivering high-quality, well-designed places while protecting and enhancing the landscape of Braintree.

This is an exciting time to work for Braintree. The district will grow significantly in the coming decades, and we are looking to embrace this challenge to deliver well-designed new homes, jobs and the infrastructure required to support this growth, whilst being careful to preserve its character and quality.

About the Role:

As part of a multidisciplinary team within the Planning Service, the successful candidate will work as part of the Landscape Services Team alongside our Ecologist and Arboricultural Officers to provide specialist advice on planning proposals to positively shape new developments across the District.

This will include providing advice in relation to Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), landscaping schemes, public realm, and wider landscape design matters.

In addition, the successful candidate will be required to prepare and give evidence at planning appeals and support the Council’s Planning Enforcement team with the monitoring of conditional requirements of planning and development consents in relation to landscaping schemes and replacement planting.

This is a critical role within the team and working alongside the Planning team you will help positively steer planning proposals at the pre-application stage, which are subject to a Planning Performance Agreement, and at the post-decision stage.

In addition, there will also be the opportunity to contribute to the production of the Council’s new Design Code, Tree Strategy and other guidance.

What we’re looking for:

The successful candidate will have experience of providing advice on a range of more complex planning applications or policy based projects. You will have a strong proactive work ethic, with excellent communication, report writing, and customer service skills, as well as the ability to work to tight deadlines.

Experience of giving evidence at planning appeals and working in a Local Authority and presenting reports and recommendations to Planning Committee is also desirable.

You will need to have a relevant degree qualification in Landscape Architecture and be a member of a relevant professional body, such as the Landscape Institute.

Essential requirements:

Degree in Landscape Architecture (or similar)
Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Landscape Institute) with commitment to CPD
Experience of advising on complex planning applications or policy-based projects
Sound knowledge of landscape design, planning legislation and the planning process
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Desirable experience:

Giving evidence at planning appeals, hearings or public inquiries
Working within a local authority environment and presenting to Planning Committee
Experience of dealing with members of the public, councillors and town/parish councils

This is an excellent opportunity to join a dynamic and ambitious Planning Service and with a strong and supportive management behind you, you’ll play a key part in helping us achieve our aims and assist in driving forward our vision to shape the District.

What we offer:

In return, your expertise, skills and experience will be valued. We will support your professional development and provide the opportunity to broaden your experience through applications, legal processes, reports, appeals and service improvement. We are committed to creating a collaborative and innovative working environment which allows you to thrive, and we have supported many officers to progress their careers through study and development programmes.

You will join a friendly and supportive team where your judgement and experience will make a direct contribution to the quality of development and landscape management across the District.

We offer flexible working arrangements, with a balance of home and office working, alongside the opportunity to work on interesting and varied cases in a growing District.

If you would like an informal chat about this opportunity, please call Nicola Murphy, Landscape Services Manager, on 01376 552525.

For more information, please see the Job Profile.

To apply, click Apply online below.

Why choose Braintree District Council?

Braintree is a beautiful District with thriving villages and towns, rich heritage, and picturesque countryside. The Council has an ambitious agenda in preserving the character and quality of the District, while embracing and managing growth.

The Braintree District lies in the heart of rural Essex, between the key regional centres of Cambridge, Colchester, and Chelmsford. Braintree is the second largest District by area in Essex.

This is an exciting time to work for Braintree and as part of our Landscape Services team you will help play a critical role with responsibility for protecting and helping shape new places by working alongside the Council’s planning team and providing specialist landscape advice collaboratively with arboriculture and ecology advice provided by colleagues in the same team.

Braintree District Council is a great place to work. We pride ourselves on our creative and innovative approach, which is led by our employees, and are committed to having an engaged workforce who understand our strategy and how they can help deliver it. Our people see the difference they make and how the work they do actively contributes to and encourages positive change in the local community.

We also offer some great benefits, including:

Flexible working
Local government pension scheme
Learning and development for all employees
Employee discounts at local businesses
Employee recognition schemes
Extensive health and wellbeing programmes, including discounted gym membership

So, if you think you have what is required and you are ready for a varied and rewarding role with a fantastic team then please apply now.

Closing date for receipt of completed applications: Midnight on Thursday 30th July 2026.

Interviews will take place on Tuesday 18th August 2026.