Planner/Senior Planner
The company
From day one, Thakeham has been driven by a clear vision: to transform the way people think about new-built developments.
Over 20 years later, that ethos is still very much alive, reflected in our numerous awards and reputation in the sector. Today, Thakeham employs close to 250 people and has a forecasted revenue of £199 million in 2024/25.
An infrastructure-led community creator and strategic land promoter, Thakeham is committed to partnerships, innovation and creating amazing places to live and work. We are industry-leading in sustainability and biodiversity. Every Thakeham home completion will be Net Zero Carbon by 2025 and we were one of the first to introduce Zero Bills homes in partnership with Octopus Energy.
We pride ourselves on our ‘Infrastructure first’ approach, ensuring communities release the benefits of new development at the outset, rather than later in the process. We deliver social, affordable and retirement housing for a wide range of housing associations and local authorities.
People are Thakeham’s most important asset, and this is reflected in the way we operate. We were recognised in the prestigious ‘Best Places to Work 2023’ and are listed in the Top 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2023.
Our people enjoy excellent rewards and working conditions in an exciting and growing business. We offer exciting career opportunities, and are keen to develop, guide and support our employees, regardless of what stage they are in their careers.
We value diversity and encourage people to bring their full authentic selves to work. A Gold Armed Forces Covenant signatory and supporter of armed force’s charity Building Heroes, Thakeham operates a Talent for Development outreach campaign for military veterans and college leavers.
Work and fun should not be mutually exclusive and Thakeham offers a range of social events such as quiz nights, BBQs and all staff parties. We run informal lunch and learns and take on charity challenges such as the Housebuilder Challenge. We encourage people to volunteer in their communities, offering two paid days per year to do so. Where roles allow, our summer hours policy in June, July and August allows people to enjoy longer weekends with their loved ones. A flexible approach to working is available all year round.
At Thakeham we build communities, together.
The department
The Planning Department progress Thakeham’s portfolio of sites from promotion through to achieving planning permission and on-site implementation for residential-led developments.
We are responsible for supporting the land and business development in-house teams, promoting strategic sites, dealing with planning applications, providing implementation support, and providing national/regional and local representations for Thakeham.
We work as a cohesive and collegiate planning department supporting one another and sharing knowledge and learning from our individual project experiences.
The role
The successful candidate will;
- Management of assigned portfolio sites:
- Responsible for effectively progressing assigned portfolio sites to develop and progress an agreed promotional / application strategy in a timely manner
- To manage and instruct a full consultant team as appropriate to ensure the progression of the scheme in accordance with an approved strategy
- Liaising with project teams and LPA’s, where required to progress promotions and planning applications
- To progress and lead in District site searches for Thakeham growth points
- To work alongside the planning team, supporting senior members where required
- To provide informed advice confidently to internal teams to ensure compliance with Planning Consents
- Assisting senior team members in the promotion and preparation of planning applications where required
- Leading on planning applications, including the appointment and management of the consultant team
- Planning Appraisal and site assessments:
- To assist the planning team by completing Planning Appraisals and District wide appraisals for all potential development sites in conjunction with Graduate’s to make recommendations to the Head of Planning and/or Planning Manager on strategy and development prospects
- Planning Promotion:
- Effectively promoting assigned portfolio sites through the Planning System in order to achieve policy allocations or an appropriate Planning Consent
- Assisting senior team members in the promotion of major strategic portfolio sites
- Identification of strategic growth points and progression of site identification and assembly
- Working on own initiative to undertake or review planning policies to advise on strategic growth opportunities and implications for the existing portfolio and areas of search
- Leading in District wide site searches supported by Planning Graduate
- Working with the Head of Planning, Planning Manager and Senior Land Manager to determine the appropriate method of progression, whilst managing and ensuring the planning promotion is undertaken and completed
- To represent Thakeham and to convey the strategic land successes of the business when attending meetings and functions with stakeholders, promoters and agents
- Meetings:
- Attend internal meetings to represent the Planning team where required
- Advise on general planning changes and updates in National and Local policies and advise of any likely impact of such changes
- Participate in team CPD or to advise on content of external CPD attended
- Attend external CPD
- Attending seminars, briefing and meetings across Thakeham growth areas to raise brand awareness and profile
- To convey the Thakeham brand ethos and growth plans when on company business
This list is not exhaustive. Tasks will be allocated to reflect increasing levels of development and experience.
The required skills
- Chartered membership of either RTPI/RICS Town Planning or with at least five years industry experience
- Excellent knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel & Outlook)
- Excellent communication skills
- Demonstrated planning track record within planning consultancy or housebuilding sectors
- Experience in housebuilding / mixed use Planning sectors
- Good attention to detail and organisational skills
- Effective time management skills
- Professional approach with high degree of discretion
- Team player
- Ability to work on own initiative and generate solutions
- Management skills
The benefits
- Competitive salary
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Annual holiday allowance 26 days increasing to 27 after 3yrs service and 28 after 5yrs service (plus bank holidays)
- Life assurance
- Private medical insurance
- Health screening
- Pension scheme
- Bonus scheme
- Flexible working hours in a modern office environment / Working from Home Policy
- Excellent development and progression opportunities for the right candidate
- Company Social events
Plus a whole range of other employee benefits that we can tell you all about, our employees are rewarded for their performance, attitude and results.
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We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and treating people fairly. We will treat all job applicants and employees equally regardless of age, race, religious belief, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. We welcome applicants from all sectors of society and we are committed to promoting an inclusive environment for all.
