Planning Enforcement Officer

Planning Enforcement Officer

Temporary Contract

Job Details

Client: Worcester City Council

Service Area: Planning Services / Development Management & Enforcement

Hours: 37 hours per week

Start Date: 20 July 2026

Duration: 20 weeks

Working Pattern

Hybrid working.

1 day per week in the office and 4 days remote.

Location

Worcester City Centre

Foregate Street

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR1 1DT

Pay

PAYE Rate: £17.18 per hour

Job Overview

Worcester City Council is seeking an experienced Planning Enforcement Officer to support the Development Management and Enforcement service.

The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload of approximately 70-100 planning enforcement complaints, including mostly existing cases and some new complaints. The role will involve investigating breaches of planning control, reviewing existing case progress, inspecting sites, reviewing plans and legal documents, understanding site planning history and identifying appropriate next steps.

This role requires planning enforcement experience, strong knowledge of planning legislation, excellent case management skills and the ability to communicate clearly with complainants, alleged offenders, councillors, colleagues and external agencies.

Important - Please Read Carefully

This is a specialist Planning Enforcement role.

Candidates must be confident managing a high-volume planning enforcement caseload, investigating complaints, reviewing planning history, inspecting sites, negotiating outcomes and drafting enforcement correspondence or notices where required.

The role may involve designated heritage assets, protected trees, interviews under caution, urgent site visits and preparing evidence for prosecution.

Candidates without planning enforcement, development management, planning investigation or planning legislation experience are unlikely to be considered.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of approximately 70-100 complaints
• Review existing planning enforcement investigations
• Investigate new planning enforcement complaints
• Establish and action next steps
• Carry out site inspections
• Review plans and legal documents
• Research site planning history
• Apply planning law and regulations
• Consider designated heritage assets and protected trees
• Maintain accurate case records
• Prioritise workload and negotiate outcomes
• Communicate with complainants, alleged offenders, councillors and colleagues
• Write clear letters and reports
• Draft and serve notices where appropriate
• Prepare evidence for prosecution where required
• Carry out interviews under caution where necessary
• Attend urgent site visits at short notice

Essential Experience & Skills

• Planning enforcement experience
• Experience managing planning enforcement complaints or investigations
• Knowledge of planning law and enforcement processes
• Experience reviewing planning histories, plans and legal documents
• Experience carrying out site inspections
• Ability to manage a high-volume caseload
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to write clear letters, reports and case notes
• Good negotiation and prioritisation skills
• Ability to keep accurate records
• Ability to work independently in a hybrid role
• Ability to attend urgent site visits at short notice

Desirable

• Local authority planning enforcement experience
• Development Management experience
• Experience drafting and serving enforcement notices
• Experience preparing prosecution evidence
• Experience carrying out interviews under caution
• Knowledge of heritage assets and protected trees
• Planning or built environment qualification

Additional Information

This is a hybrid role with 1 day per week in the Worcester office and 4 days remote.

Candidates must be able to attend urgent site visits at short notice, Monday to Friday.

Interview will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

Candidate submission deadline is 07 July 2026.

Disclaimer

On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role.

I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify Fix Space Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.