Waterman Aspen
Principal Planner (Development Management)
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Senior / Principal Planner (Development Management)
Type: Contract, Permanent, Salaried.
Salary: Dependent on experience
About the Role
Waterman Aspen is a specialist professional services provider, supporting the delivery of development management, infrastructure, and place-shaping projects across the UK, particularly where organisations are facing skills shortages, increasing caseloads, and complex delivery pressures. They work in partnership with both public and private sector clients, providing experienced planners and technical specialists to strengthen capacity, improve outcomes, and support confident decision-making at the point it matters most.
Their model is intentionally flexible. Through secondments and project-based support, they place the right people with the right skills into client teams at the right time—whether that’s helping organisations manage sustained capacity pressures, progress backlogs, support critical projects, or navigate organisational and policy change.
Joining Waterman Aspen as a Senior / Principal Planner means becoming part of a supportive, experienced Town Planning team while working on a diverse range of public and private sector projects across the UK, often in environments where additional capacity, experience, and judgement are critical. You’ll enjoy the stability and benefits of permanent employment, combined with the variety, challenge, and professional breadth that comes from working across different organisations and project environments.
Experience Required
Essential
- Degree qualified in Town Planning or a related discipline, with Chartered Membership of the RTPI (or working towards chartership at Senior level where appropriate).
- Significant experience working in a Development Management role within the public sector, consultancy, or a client-facing planning environment, with the ability to operate at Senior or Principal level.
- Strong understanding and practical application of UK planning policy and legislation, including current and emerging changes.
- Proven ability to manage major and complex planning applications, including pre-application advice and Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs).
- Experience producing high-quality, robust reports and recommendations, including for delegated decisions and planning committees.
- Confident communicator, able to engage effectively with applicants, stakeholders, members, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to meet client requirements.
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Desirable
- Experience working across both public and private sector planning environments.
- Involvement in planning appeals, including preparation of evidence or expert witness experience.
- Experience of negotiating on complex schemes and contributing to the delivery of high-profile or large-scale developments.
Role and Responsibilities
As a Senior / Principal Planner you will:
- Lead on pre-application discussions and the assessment and determination of major and complex planning applications for both public and private sector clients, including Planning Performance Agreements.
- Provide clear, high-quality professional planning advice to clients, applicants, consultees, and councillors, helping manage risk, complexity, and competing priorities, while supporting sound decision-making and positive outcomes.
- Prepare robust, well-reasoned reports and recommendations for delegated and committee decisions, supporting timely, defensible outcomes in line with current policy and legislation.
- Negotiate with applicants, stakeholders, and local communities to secure high-quality, policy-compliant development.
- Support planning appeals and complex casework, including the preparation and presentation of professional evidence as required.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of planning policy to support effective service delivery and client objectives.
- Operate confidently within busy planning environments, quickly understanding local context and priorities to help teams progress work effectively under pressure.
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The role may be appointed at Senior or Principal level depending on experience. Principal Planners will typically lead the most complex casework and provide informal technical guidance and mentoring to colleagues and client teams.
Benefits
As a salaried colleague, you’ll get a salary in line with your experience, skills, and location along with an industry-leading benefits package:
- Company car or car allowance
- Contribution to commuting mileage
- Permanent health insurance
- 25 days annual leave (option to buy up to 5 more), in addition to the normal public holidays (based on a 40-hour week, pro rata for part-time colleagues)
- Company pension contribution
- Salary sacrifice to buy additional benefits
- 1 paid Waterman Aspen in the Community Day to volunteer in your local community
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