Planning Solicitor | From Major Developments to Rights of Way, Appeals & Enforcement

Specialist Planning Team | Varied Client Base | Hybrid Working | Unlimited Holiday

If you're a Planning Solicitor who likes the fact that no two planning matters are quite the same, this is a role worth exploring.

We are looking for a Planning lawyer to join the specialist team of a large and highly regarded regional law firm.

What particularly appeals about this opportunity is the breadth of the work.

The team acts for developers, landowners, businesses, affordable housing providers, local planning authorities, Parish Councils and private individuals. You therefore aren't always sitting on the same side of the fence, and the work ranges from strategic development and infrastructure agreements through to enforcement, objections, public rights of way and planning prosecutions.

What could you actually find yourself working on?

The team's work includes:

• Drafting and negotiating Section 106 and other infrastructure agreements
• Project development and site appraisal
• Advising on planning applications
• Planning appeals and public inquiries
• Enforcement issues
• Certificates of Lawfulness
• Defending planning prosecutions
• Judicial Review
• Environmental and development issues
• Affordable housing matters
• Public rights of way, including diversions and Definitive Map Modification Orders
• Advising and representing those objecting to proposed developments

There is also interesting specialist work arising from agricultural, equine and rural development, including permitted development and Class Q conversions.

The variety is genuine

The matters coming through the team can look very different from one another.

Recent examples of the type of work undertaken within the practice include negotiating a Section 106 Agreement for a mixed development involving residential and community uses, undertaking the feasibility appraisal of a potential development of hundreds of homes, dealing with rights of way and Definitive Map issues, and advising on objections to development proposals involving potential noise and nuisance.

The wider practice also advises on major infrastructure and development projects.

So whether your interests sit more naturally with development and agreements, contentious planning, local authority work or the rural side of planning, there is considerable scope to build your expertise.

A client base that gives you both perspectives

One of the things which makes this particularly valuable for a developing Planning lawyer is the range of people the team represents.

You’ll have exposure to:

• Residential developers
• Commercial development
• Landowners
• Agricultural and equine clients
• Affordable housing providers
• Local planning authorities
• Parish Councils
• Businesses
• Private individuals and residents

That means understanding planning issues from the developer's, authority's, landowner's and objector's perspective, rather than spending your career exclusively acting for one type of client.

Who could this suit?

We're interested in talking to lawyers with genuine Planning Law experience, rather than setting an unnecessarily rigid PQE bracket.

You may already be a specialist Planning Solicitor, or perhaps your experience has developed through a wider property, development, local authority or regulatory practice and you would now like planning to become a greater part of what you do.

You’ll need sound technical foundations, good drafting and communication skills and the confidence to give clients clear, practical advice.

Just as importantly, this is a collaborative team, so they are looking for someone who enjoys sharing ideas and expertise rather than operating in a silo.

If you work flexibly or part time this firm would be very happy to accommodate an atypical working pattern.

Flexibility, but also a chance to become part of the team

There is hybrid and agile working, although new joiners are generally encouraged to spend more time in the office during their probationary period.

That's about making it easier to learn from the people around you, understand the firm's clients and systems and properly become part of the team.

Once established, there is greater flexibility to work from home.

The benefits are strong too

Alongside competitive remuneration, the package includes:

• Unlimited paid time off
• Hybrid and agile working
• 6% employer pension contribution
• Life Assurance at 3x salary after probation
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Health cash plan
• Enhanced maternity and sick pay
• Employee Assistance Programme and wider wellbeing support
• Professional subscriptions, practising certificate and CPD costs covered
• In-house Learning & Development
• Leadership development programmes
• Support for further qualifications
• Cycle to Work and car lease schemes
• Discounted gym membership

Planning is a small world, so let's keep it confidential

You may not be actively looking. You might simply be interested to know what a different Planning practice, broader client base or more varied workload could look like.

And if some of the work above is familiar but other areas aren't, please don't let that stop you getting in touch. You don't need to tick every box for it to be worth exploring.

For a confidential conversation, contact:

Clara Rose

All conversations are confidential and without obligation.

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