Medway Council’s Transport and Parking Service are seeking to recruit an experienced Principal Transport Planner. Working within the Sustainable Transport Team, the successful candidate will assess the highway and transport aspects of new development proposals and planning applications and provide expert written and verbal advice directly to the Council’s Planning Service and Members of the Planning Committee, ensuring this work is undertaken in accordance with service requirements and the policies of the Council. The post holder will work to secure high-quality, sustainable developments in accordance with local and national policies, with mitigation of wider impacts where appropriate. The role will require liaison with external stakeholders including transport consultants, planning agents, developers and other highway authorities and agencies. The candidate/s will be required to input into all stages of the planning process, including: pre-application discussion, including attendance at meetings where necessary, and the provision of written comments for all sizes and types of development proposals, including scoping of transport statements and assessments where appropriate. assessment of the impacts of all sizes and types of development formally submitted to the Council’s Planning Service, including detailed analysis of transport statements and assessments the provision of application comments on behalf of the local highway authority, with reference to local and national transport planning policies, in accordance with deadlines set by the Council’s Planning Service recommending suitable transport and highway mitigation measures for proposed developments in accordance with national planning policies, comprising off-site highway works and financial contributions where required, secured through suitably worded planning conditions and/or Section 106 Heads of Terms. participation in planning appeals, including the preparation of appeal statements, analysis of statements submitted by the appellant and attendance at hearings and inquiries as required attendance at the Council’s evening Planning Committee as required by the Council’s Head of Planning/Chairman of the Planning Committee, to provide verbal advice on transport and highway matters to the Committee (meetings are held in person monthly) the provision of written advice in relation to the discharge of transport-related planning conditions and assistance with the drafting of transport and highway obligations in Section 106 Agreements ensuring a smooth transition from planning approval to the formation of Section 38/278 agreements (in collaboration with the Highway Adoption Team). The role comprises working 37 hours per week across the full contract term. Additional hours may be required on an ad hoc basis, which would be subject to agreement at specified rates. The role may be fulfilled by more than one individual, although at least one candidate should meet the qualifications and experience criteria outlined below. The role is based within the Transport and Parking Service, and reports to the Sustainable Transport Manager, and will require close liaison with colleagues within the wider service including colleagues working in the fields of Road Safety, Traffic Management, Public Transport and Active Travel. Close liaison and working with the Council’s Planning Officers will also be required. This would be achieved via email, office-based discussion, online meetings, or telephone. In return we offer you: Generous annual leave entitlement Generous local government pension scheme package Access to wider training and development qualifications Flexible working scheme Travel plan discounts Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency. Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change. Our organisation: Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula. Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London. We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively. Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in. If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager please call James Sutton on 01634 331399. Important Information Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction. For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online. Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email. Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support. We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.