We are looking for an experienced planning professional to join our Planning Enforcement team as a Senior Planning Enforcement Officer.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys complex casework, sound judgement, negotiation and taking formal action where necessary. Braintree District is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades, creating a varied and challenging enforcement environment. You will help ensure that development is delivered properly, breaches of planning control are addressed fairly and effectively, and the character and quality of the district are protected for our communities.

About the Role

As a senior member of the team, you will manage a varied caseload of planning enforcement matters, with a particular focus on complex, sensitive and high-profile cases. You will have the autonomy to make professional judgements, manage customer and stakeholder expectations, and help deliver a fair, robust and customer-focused enforcement service.

Your work will include site inspections, investigating alleged breaches of planning control, providing clear advice, negotiating positive outcomes and recommending the most appropriate course of action. Where formal action is required, you will prepare reports and notices, gather and manage evidence, prepare case files for legal and appeal proceedings, and represent the Council by giving evidence at court or during the appeal process. You will also support and mentor junior officers, contribute to service improvement, and cover for the Planning Enforcement Manager when required.

What we’re looking for

We are looking for someone with strong planning knowledge, sound professional judgement and proven experience of dealing with planning matters in a Local Planning Authority environment. You will be confident interpreting plans and planning legislation, preparing clear and well-reasoned reports, and handling demanding or sensitive situations with tact, confidence and resilience.

Demonstrable experience within a Local Planning Authority environment is essential. We welcome applications from experienced Planning Enforcement Officers who are ready for a senior role, as well as experienced Planning Officers who are looking to apply their technical planning knowledge in a more investigative, compliance-focused role.

You will be able to work independently, manage your own caseload and prioritise effectively. You will use persuasion, negotiation and formal enforcement powers appropriately to achieve compliance, including serving notices, dealing with appeals and representing the Council as a witness at appeals and prosecutions in court. Experience across a range of planning matters is important, and a working knowledge of CPIA, PACE and RIPA would be an advantage.

The successful candidate will bring excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong customer service, attention to detail and the motivation to deliver high-quality work within deadlines. You will be comfortable balancing technical assessment, customer expectations, legal requirements and the need for proportionate decision-making.

In return, your expertise, skills and experience will be valued. We will support your professional development and provide the opportunity to broaden your enforcement experience through complex casework, legal processes, 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 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.

It is fundamental to the role that you have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes. Regrettably, applicants without a full driving licence and/or access to a vehicle cannot be considered.

If you are an experienced planning professional looking for a role with responsibility, variety and the chance to make a visible impact, we would like to hear from you. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Darren Tuff, Planning Enforcement Manager, on 01376 312359.

For more information, please see the Job Profile.

To apply, click Apply online below.

Why choose Braintree District Council?

Braintree is an ambitious and dynamic Council and is becoming one of the fastest growing Districts in the East of England with three growing towns, London just 45 minutes away and the District located directly between the international transport centres of Stansted Airport and Harwich and Felixstowe International Ports. We have a deserved track record for delivering and a strong reputation within the business community.

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
·Hybrid working arrangements are available in this role (home/office based) subject to business need
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

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The closing date for this Senior Planning Enforcement Officer opportunity is Sunday 26 July 2026.

Interviews will be held w/c 3rd August 2026.