Job Description

Exciting Career Opportunity with Ipswich Borough Council’s Thriving and Expanding Planning Department!

Join a team that’s on the move! Ipswich Borough Council’s Planning Department is on an exciting expansion journey, and we’re looking for an Assistant Town Planner – Section 106 and Infrastructure to join our Planning and Development team.  

Ipswich is one of the fastest growing regional centres in England, thousands of homes (including a Sustainable Urban Extension of 3,500 homes at Ipswich Garden Suburb) and jobs are planned for the area and a strong focus on regenerating the historic town centre and Waterfront. Ipswich is the largest centre in Suffolk for business, health services, culture, entertainment and sports. A university town with a rich history and heritage and a thriving Waterfront.

You will be the lead on Section 106 matters and, with the support of Planning Policy and Development Management, will be responsible for Section 106 contributions monitoring. This will include the co-ordination of surveys, research, analysis and preparation of draft reports on topics relating to Development Management and Planning Policy. Collecting, utilising and analysing statistical data and presenting the results in various forums. 

This is a full-time role (37 hours per week), and the main day to day duties of the post are undertaking the department duties for monitoring S106 agreements and ensuring development is contributing towards infrastructure as required. This will require liaising with internal colleagues in Planning, Legal, Parks and Cemeteries etc. and developers and stakeholders regarding infrastructure delivery. Site visits will also be required as part of this role to determine the progress of sites.

We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic lead for to monitor our Section 106 contributions. This is fundamental in providing the key infrastructure in the Borough to support the delivery of new houses and employment, ensuring a thriving town for the residents of Ipswich.

The post holder will be qualified to NVQ Level 3 in a professional/technical field and have experience in a similar Town Planning role, will have a willingness to learn and keep up to date with planning legislation, be organised and have a working knowledge and experience of IT working in a MS Windows environment, and have the ability to read and interpret technical documents, plans and legal agreements.

Having a practical understanding of the planning system, the relationship between planning policy and development management and working knowledge of finance spreadsheets would be an advantage.

As well as a good salary, we offer a career average pension scheme, generous holiday and sick pay entitlements, subsidised parking, public transport discounts, free swimming, cycle purchase scheme, plenty of personal and professional development opportunities, flexible working, Employee Assistance Programme and the opportunity to work with great colleagues.

For more information about this role please contact Sally Minns on 01473 43206 or via email sally.minns@ipswich.gov.uk 

Please download the Job Description and Person Specification to find out more about this role: Job Description and Person Specification

Interviews to be held in person on 6 December 2023.

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to interview candidates who meet the essential criteria prior to the closing date and / or to close the opportunity to applicants once we receive sufficient applications.