The Friday Five 29.10.21
It’s the Friday Five. No, not a gathering of school age crime fighters from the 1930s who only work on a Friday; but a selection of five of the best planning jobs on Planner Jobs this week. Hope that's cleared that up for you.
1. TOWN PLANNER, TIBBALDS PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN
Location: London Bridge, London
The job: "Tibbalds is a friendly, multidisciplinary practice covering planning, urban design and masterplanning. What sets us apart from other practices is our strong development planning function within a design-focused practice. We’re motivated by the delivery of high quality design and place-making, so it’s important that you are interested in promoting good design through the planning process.
"The role is focused on development planning for a wide range of private and public sector clients, mainly based in London and the south east, on an eclectic mix of projects. Our planners also work alongside our urban designers and architects to provide advice on in-house masterplanning projects, and we’re always interested in applicants who have an aptitude for spatial and/or policy planning."
Fun fact: In 1962, it was discovered that the London Bridge was indeed "falling down," sinking into the Thames as a result of a significant increase in the amount and type of traffic using it. And so, in 1968, the City of London put the 130-year old bridge up for auction, which was an incredible idea in itself. Robert P. McCulloch – founder of Lake Havasu City in Arizona – submitted the winning bid of $2,460,000. Of course, McCulloch then had to spend to have the bridge transported across the continents, costing him another $7million for an operation that lasted a total of three years. Quite an unusual infrastructure funding story, this. Nevertheless, the old London Bridge is still in use today in Lake Havasu City.
2. SENIOR PLANNING POLICY OFFICER, LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
The job: "Lincolnshire County Council is committed to an ambitious vision for the county in which sustainable development and low carbon technology are at its heart.This is a pivotal period for planning as it embraces the challenge of climate change and post COVID recovery, along with proposed government reform.
"This position will suit someone willing to immerse themselves in the policy issues facing a rapidly changing world. This will include assisting district councils with their local plans, commenting on planning applications and responding to government policy documents. The role is varied and challenging and you will have the opportunity to broaden your skills through training and development to support your progression in the planning profession. We are looking for someone with the creativity and flexibility to tackle the climate crisis head on, working with a range of partners to deliver our agenda."
Fun fact: The Key Market store in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire is where the country's first barcode - on a packet of Melrose teabags - was scanned in October 1979. Alas, The Americans got there first, scanning o pack of Wrigley Company chewing gum in 1974 at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio. Biscuits in Blighty, chewing gum in America - quite fitting, really.
The original barcode concept was invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver in 1951, but it took more than twenty years before the invention became commercially successful. In 1973, The Uniform Grocery Product Code Council in the USA chose the now classical vertically striped barcode design, developed by George Laurer.
3. ENFORCEMENT TEAM LEADER AND SENIOR PLANNING OFFICER, DERBYSHIRE DALES DISTRICT COUNCIL
Location: Matlock, Derbyshire
The job: "A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to manage a small team of planning enforcement officers within the development management team at the district council, which reflects the increased interest in enforcement issues in our district. The post holder will be responsible for co-ordinating and managing investigations into reported breaches of planning control, to ensure that development is managed in a way that that delivers the objectives of the development plan for the area and ensures public faith in the planning system.
"The post holder will also be responsible for managing planning applications and appeal work arising from enforcement action and, where capacity allows, provide pre-application advice and manage a more complex case load of both major and minor planning applications and development management queries."
Fun fact: Matlock has John Smedley to thank for effectively putting the Derbyshire town ‘on the map’. Before the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics, perceived wisdom had it that natural spring and spa water, regulated at different temperatures and presented at different pressures, could cure any number of illnesses and diseases. It was also seen as a cure for mental health issues. So it was that the Smedley’s Hydro on Smedley Street in Matlock was a popular spa in the late 1800s, with twenty more such establishments operating in the town. Visitors to the original site can see the small windows and mosaics used when the building was in operation as a spa. After spa use fell out of fashion the building became a luxury hotel, The Grand, and it’s occupied today by the Derbyshire Dales Direct Council.
4. SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT OFFICER/DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT OFFICERS, HARROGATE BOROUGH COUNCIL
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
The job:
Senior development management officer: "You will help to deliver a proactive, customer-focused and ‘end-to-end’ development management service. You will handle complex planning consents, dealing with a wide range of planning enquiries and correspondence and assisting colleagues.
"You will deal with a varied range of casework, from handling major developments around our largest settlements to assessing sensitive proposals in rural areas. "You will work alongside colleagues in our place-shaping and economic growth service with a strong commitment to good planning and sustainable development. This is an exciting time for the team with an adopted local plan in place, a focus on housing and strategic site delivery and a key role in delivering many of the council’s strategic priorities and projects."
Development management officers (x3): "This exciting opportunity operates on a career grade, meaning we are looking for people who might have different qualifications and levels of experience. You may have A-levels and have not made a decision whether to go to University, or you may be a graduate in a field outside of planning who has an interest in developing a career in the subject, a newly qualified planner looking for your first role or a planner currently in work seeking opportunities to further develop your career – we would love to hear from you all. We offer full training and support, and also support further qualification through the RTPI Apprenticeship Scheme.
"In this role, you will handle applications for planning permission and other consents. You will also provide advice and guidance in the pursuit of sustainable development and change. The post also includes working with senior officers on exciting major developments and developing a wide range of experience and learning."
Fun fact: Harrogate is where Agatha Christie went missing in 1926. The crime writer made national news when she was finally discovered at The Swan Hydropathic Hotel, now The Old Swan Hotel in the town. (Friday Five’s 29/11/21 author has stayed there - characterful place). The exact events of the 11 days in which the author of such novels as Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express remain a matter of speculation, although It is thought she suffered with amnesia.
5. PLANNING GRADUATE/TECHNICIAN, SWANSEA COUNCIL
Location: Swansea, Wales
The job: Fixed-term contract until 31 July 2022 (with option to extend). "The post is an excellent opportunity for a recent graduate from a planning or related background to join the department and advance their career amongst supportive and motivated officers within a leading authority.
"The successful candidate will get the chance to play an important supporting role on a wide range of exciting development projects coming forward across the city, including: large scale neighbourhood extensions on greenfield and brownfield sites; mixed use commercial-led city centre development; green infrastructure led public realm projects; and the council’s own home building programme that aims to deliver a thousand homes over the coming decade.
"They will also support the production of the next generation of planning frameworks to guide development across Swansea, including the replacement local development plan and new strategic development plan.
Fun fact: Just as Southend has been a town until the last fortnight, Swansea was only declared a city back in In 1969 to mark Prince Charles's investiture as the Prince of Wales. The town, as was, became a thriving industrial centre around 1717 when Gabriel Powell, steward to the Duke of Beaufort, promoted Swansea as the heart of a nascent copper industry, marketing its accessibility, its proximity to the port in Cornwall where copper ore was obtainable, its local sources of cheap and suitable coal, and its harbour. The first copper works in Swansea were established in 1720, with Swansea described then as “the best built and most cleanly town in all Wales”. By 1886, 3,000 people were employed in the industry.
Image credits | Chris Nunez, Shutterstock; iStock; loocmill, Shutterstock; Electric Egg, Shutterstock; iStock
