The Friday Five 21.12.18
A round-up of five of the best, most interesting, significant or unusual jobs on Planner Jobs this week.
1. PRETTY AS A PICTURE
What?
Planning officers (x2), Fylde Council.
Where?
The town hall, on the seafront by the bandstand in the seaside resort of St Annes, just south of Blackpool, Lancs.
The job
“We are looking for talented individuals with a passion for shaping places that will help us deliver high quality developments throughout the borough. Your workload will be both interesting and varied as the borough features scenic rural countryside and coastline, a vibrant night-time and shopping economy, multiple conservation areas, a Healthy New Town, enterprise zones and large employment areas.
"With a recently adopted local plan and a healthy supply of housing, the council’s focus is firmly on ensuring that the development of Fylde is to an exceptional standard so that it becomes an even better place to live, work and visit.”
St Annes is a small, pretty seaside town that retains its Victorian/Edwardian character. The borough of Fylde, which borders Blackpool, has a population of around 79,000.
Fun fact
We could tell you about the statue of Les Dawson on St Annes seafront, the fact that it’s a planned town constructed on a grid pattern or that it was the original home of Premium Bonds. But get this - the village of Andsell just to the south of St Annes is the only place in England to be named after an artist. The Victorian painter Richard Ansdell RA, was known for his depictions of animals and ‘genre scenes’ (ie hunting, farming) and was both prolific and, apparently, quite difficult - for example, he received no royal commissions after refusing to paint Queen Victoria's dogs unless they were brought to his studio. Shocking.
2. AMAZING SCENES
What?
Principal enforcement officer, North East Derbyshire District Council.
Where?
The district council offices in rural Wingerworth, a couple of miles south of Chesterfield in, er, North East Derbyshire.
The job
“The successful candidate will act as a senior member of the development management team and support the planning manager in delivering an effective and efficient service and contribute to the continuous improvement of the service. The successful candidate will be responsible for the investigation of complaints and to ensure appropriate enforcement action is taken to remedy breaches of planning legislation. You will also be expected to assess, make recommendations on and determine high level, complex and challenging planning applications, provide advice and guidance to colleagues, represent the council in appeals” and so on.
North east Derbyshire is a fairly sizeable district that encompasses a number of small towns and villages within a former coalmining area. It border Chesterfield and the Derbyshire dales and has a population of around 100,000.
Fun fact
The small village of Barlow, just north of Chesterfield, holds an annual well dressing in August, continuing what many consider to be an ancient way of thanking the gods for water. Elaborate scenes are created around the village’s three wells for their blessing using wildflowers picked from local fields and hedgerows. Previous scenes have included a World War I memorial, Moses in the bullrushes and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
3. SCALE THE DIZZYING HEIGHTS
What?
Development management enforcement officer, Folkestone and Hythe District Council.
Where?
The district council offices close to Folkestone town centre on the south coast of England in Kent.
The job
“The post holder will be expected to have a good working knowledge of permitted development rights and experience of investigating breaches of planning control, including collecting the necessary evidence, interviewing under caution and serving formal planning enforcement related notices, as well appearing in court when necessary.”
The district serves a population of 108,000 and covers an area of 140 square miles. Folkestone itself lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, it was an important harbour and shipping port.
Fun fact
Folkestone is home to the world’s highest brick arched viaduct. The rail viaduct through the Foord Valley has just marked its 175th anniversary, having opened to trains on 18 December 1843. Consisting of 19 arches, the tallest of which is 100 feet, the viaduct was - astonishingly - built in just six months, and was grade II listed in 1975. It was built by the eminent civil engineer William Cubitt, who was also chief engineer of the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park.
4. DO SOME TIME IN READING
What?
Planner/senior planner, Turley.
Where?
The consultancy’s modern offices in central Reading, Berks, beside the new Crossrail station.
The job
“We are looking for talented and ambitious town planners who are commercially astute and who want to work on challenging and prestigious projects. We are looking for planners or senior planners to work on projects across various sectors, including commercial, residential and mixed-use schemes throughout the region. We act for a number of high profile clients, including some of the country’s major land promoters, housebuilders, commercial and leisure operators.”
Reading is a large, historically important minster town, with a population of 163,000, commercially vibrant and home to several major companies. With the opening of Crossrail (whenever that finally happens) it’ll be a swift journey to and from central London.
Fun fact
HM Prison Reading - famous for being the place where Oscar Wilde wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol - has had a host of famous inmates. There’s Wilde, of course, interned from 1895-97 for “homosexual offences”; there’s the American actor Stacy Keach (think Mike Hammer), imprisoned in 1984 for cocaine possession; there’s the notorious Victorian baby farmer and serial killer (of babies) Amelia Dyer, held here before her execution in 1896; and finally the current world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, held on remand in Reading in 2009 for what he describes as “fighting and other crazy stuff”. The prison was closed in 2013.
5. DUCK!
What?
Systems support officer, Bassetlaw District Council.
Where?
Newly refurbished offices close to central Worksop, Nottinghamshire, just around the corner from the cinema.
The job
A tech job: “You will be responsible for the maintenance and improvement of our current planning software systems and for co-ordinating the digital training for all planning staff. We want to hear from you if you can offer:
- A thorough understanding and experience of utilising digital platforms
- A minimum of 3 GCSE’s at Levels 4-9/Grade C or above, including English and Maths (or relevant equivalent qualifications)
- Knowledge of relevant planning legislation
- An understanding of Data Protection regulations and compliance
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work within a team and on own initiative”
Bassetlaw is the northernmost district in Nottinghamshire, at the edge of Sherwood Forest. A mixture of urban and rural environments, its main settlements are Worksop and Retford.
Fun fact
To celebrate the granting of Retford's Royal Charter in 1246, the town holds a Charter Day on Mayday each year. The day includes performances, vintage car rallies, street entertainers, dog displays, food stalls, and even a staged ‘rescue’ by the local fire service. One of the most popular events, however, is a duck race, which sees yellow plastic ducks raced between two bridges on the River Idle.
Photos | Shutterstock, iStock, Andrew Smith (Reading Prison)