Senior Planning Officer

Job reference

REQ000973

Date posted

12/11/2025

Application closing date

03/12/2025

Location

Town Hall, Reigate

Salary

£44,883 - £49,194 (plus £2,000 market supplement)

Employment type

Permanent, Full time

Contractual hours

36

Basis

Full time

Job category/type

Planning

Blank

Job description

Job Title: Senior Planning Officer

Location: Town Hall, Reigate

Salary: £44,883 - £49,194pa plus £2,000pa market supplement

Basis: Permanent, Full time

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Planning Officer to join our forward-thinking Development Management Team, based in our recently refurbished Town Hall offices in Reigate.

Reporting to the Principal Planning Officer, you'll take the lead on a personal caseload of planning applications — including presenting at Planning Committee and Development Forums, and defending decisions at appeal when required. You'll also supervise Graduate Planning Officers and Planning Technicians, review delegated decisions, and deputise for senior colleagues when needed.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with solid Development Management experience and RTPI eligibility who's ready to step up, share their expertise, and help shape the future of our borough. You'll be providing professional advice, supporting colleagues, and working collaboratively across the Council to deliver high-quality planning outcomes.

Our team is supportive, energised, and fully paperless — embracing innovation and efficiency. We're looking for someone with a positive attitude, excellent communication and organisational skills, and a strong team ethic.

About the Person

• Previous experience in Planning
• Confident communicator
• Good attention to detail
• Good at working to deadlines
• Ability to manage personal workload
• Member of Royal Town Planning Institute (or eligible for membership)

Staff Benefits

In exchange for your expertise, experience and enthusiasm, we will offer support in continuing your personal and career development, in addition to providing a wide range of employment linked benefits.

We provide you with competitive annual leave, and contribute 15% towards the LGPS pension scheme. You will also have access to a range of discounts including local and high street stores, and salary sacrifice schemes including a cycle lease scheme, and 'Better' leisure centre membership.

Additional Information

For an informal discussion about the role, please call Andrew Benson, Head of Planning and Regulatory Services, on No agencies please.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, supporting the guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ex-armed forces candidates, who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Closing date: 7 December 2025

Interview date: 15 December 2025

Values and Behaviours

Our great working environment and the values and behaviours of every individual and team in the Council, help to evolve the culture of our organisation to become more commercial, innovative and embracing of change. Successful applicants to our career opportunities will be able to demonstrate they share the values and behaviours we seek in our organisation.

Local Government Reorganisation

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is part of the government's plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) scheduled to take place in April 2027. This means the current two-tier system, where services are split between Surrey County Council and district and borough councils like Reigate, will be replaced with two unitary councils made up of East and West Surrey, which will handle all local services. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council will form part of the new East Surrey unitary authority.

Although this may lead to some uncertainty for anyone considering a role with us, this process will take some time and during that time we still need to provide services. When local government is reorganised, most staff will transfer to the new council(s) which may offer additional opportunities for career development and variety as part of a larger organisation.

Further information on LGR can be found here: Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution | Reigate and Banstead