Principal Design and Conservation Officer

Principal Design and Conservation Officer

Lewisham, United Kingdom | Posted on 05/08/2026

Job Description

3 months contract with a local authority

Summary

• This role involves leading the provision of specialist conservation, heritage, and urban design advice within a local authority on a 3-month contract. The position is crucial for ensuring the protection and enhancement of the historic environment across the borough. The successful candidate will play a key role in planning decisions, policy development, and regeneration projects, ensuring that heritage considerations are integrated into urban planning processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert conservation and urban design advice on complex planning applications, listed building applications, major developments, and regeneration schemes.
• Lead on heritage matters within the Strategic Planning Team, ensuring the historic environment is considered in planning decisions and policy development.
• Manage conservation area appraisals, conservation management plans, Article 4 Directions, heritage strategies, and supplementary planning documents (SPDs).
• Lead pre-application discussions and negotiations with developers, architects, consultants, and stakeholders to secure high-quality design outcomes.
• Prepare reports, recommendations, briefings, and presentations for Planning Committees, senior management, elected members, and other decision-making bodies.
• Represent the Council at Planning Hearings, Public Inquiries, court proceedings, and stakeholder meetings as an expert witness where required.

Requirements

• Significant experience in building conservation, heritage management, urban design, or planning.
• Experience advising on listed building applications, conservation areas, heritage assets, and complex planning proposals.
• Degree in Conservation, Historic Buildings, Town Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Heritage Management, or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional qualification in a conservation, planning, architecture, or heritage-related field.
• Membership of a relevant professional body such as IHBC, RTPI, RIBA, or equivalent.

Additional Information

• Working hours: 28 hours per week
• Temporary position for 28 hours a week to cover until permanent position filled.
• Work pattern: 2 days in the office - typically Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Enhanced DBS required.
• The role closes on 10th August 2026

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