The Friday Five 8.03.24
It's The Friday Five, our weekly round-up of five of the best town planning jobs advertised on Planner Jobs – plus a selection of fun, place-based facts! This week, new opportunities in Witney, Ipswich, Stratford-upon-Avon, Edinburgh and Somerset. Plus Witney mops, Ipswich's most famous cartoonist, tales from The Dirty Duck, the stoic dedication of Greyfriars Bobby, and a brief history of Somerset cider.
1. PRINCIPAL PLANNING LEAD (DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT), WEST OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
Location: Witney, Oxfordshire
The job: "Our planning service is fundamental to the success of the council’s ambition for the future. From the Salt Cross Garden Village strategic development area to the development of a new world class car museum at Enstone, our focus is to create great places for people to live, work, learn and enjoy in our ever expanding and evolving communities. Now is a fantastic time to be joining us. We are looking to deliver upon our council priorities and shape our growth potential for the benefit of the local area and beyond.
"As principal planner (development management), you will head up one of the development management teams and lead on a variety of high profile and challenging projects, as well as looking at innovative ways to make a difference in delivering quality and sustainable places and addressing the climate crisis.
"Ultimately we're looking for an experienced planner but we would also welcome applications from candidates looking to step up in their career. Fundamentally, we want to give you the tools to support you, harness your potential and grow within your role long term."
Fun fact: At one time, it is said, every ship in the Royal Navy had on board a Witney Mop – that is, a mop made in the town of Witney from Oxfordshire. But how did Witney become synonymous with Navy mops? The mops, in fact, were a by-product of the woollen blanket industry, which was for centuries the town’s major source of employment and income.
Manufacture of woollen blankets in Witney can be traced back to the Middle Ages and is probably itself a product of two advantages: the local Cotswold sheep that produced a long, fine wool; and the River Windrush that powered the ‘filling’ mills and provided the volume of water needed for dyeing.
Over time, the town became famous for the quality of its blankets, with standards carefully upheld by the town’s traders themselves; the Blanket Hall, built in 1721, was used for weighting and measuring every blanket produced by the town, and provided a location for trading standards to be discussed, agreed and enforced. Thus, Witney became a byword for quality and Witney blankets were exported all over the world.
But where do mops come in? Well, blanket-making produced a lot of wooden offcuts. No doubt these could be imaginatively employed in a variety of uses. But mops are particularly useful and easy to manufacture. A Witney mop gathered strands of waste wool into a bundle, bound them with a leather washer and then secured them to a wooden shaft with a nail. So popular were they that mop mains became main industry in its own right, with the major blanket manufacturers turning this practice into a fresh income stream – with customers including the Royal Navy.
Since the decline of the blanket-making industry in the 20th century, Blanket Hall has been variously a brewery, a lemonade factory, an engineering shop, an office for registering births, marriages and deaths, a dance school and a ‘Gentlemen’s house’ (whatever that may be).
Nowadays it’s a blanket and pie shop. Of course!
2. PLANNING OFFICER (PLANNING POLICY), IPSWICH BOROUGH COUNCIL
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
The job: "Ipswich is one of the fastest growing regional centres in England: thousands of homes and jobs are planned for the area, together with the continued strong regeneration focus for the historic town centre and waterfront. Ipswich is the largest centre in Suffolk for business, culture, entertainment and sports, is also a university town and has a rich history and heritage, as well as a thriving waterfront.
"We're looking for a qualified (or near qualified) planning officer to come and join our friendly planning policy team and help us to shape and plan the future of the borough. The role primarily involves the preparation of evidence base studies, monitoring and supporting the preparation of the next Ipswich Local Plan which is due to commence in in 2025/6. There is also the chance to work with neighbouring local authorities and Suffolk County Council on strategic planning matters.
"This role will allow you the opportunity to further develop your skill-set, providing analysis and working to support other officers; report writing; project work; writing guidance to expand on planning policy; and getting involved in helping to deliver allocations by working with developers and site owners, as well as input into master-planning larger sites."
Fun fact: Ipswich, Suffolk’s largest settlement (although not a city, to the chagrin of some of its residents), has had its fair share of notable residents.
One of the UK’s greatest novelists took his nom de plume from the town’s River Orwell, while the appropriately named Jeremy Wade will be familiar to any fans of ITV’s fishing show, River Monsters.
One name may be less well known, although you’re almost certainly familiar with his work if you picked up a copy of the Daily Express or Sunday Express between 1943 and 1991. Ronald ‘Carl’ Giles was the cartoonist behind the popular and long-running Giles comic strip in the newspapers, and lived much of his adult life near Ipswich.
Giles lived a fascinating life. Blind in one eye, he felt guilty about leaving the left-wing Reynolds Express for a considerably better paid job at the Daily Express, despite being uncomfortable with its politics.
Giles worked for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War, and was attached to a regiment as a war correspondent. He was at the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, where, to his surprise, the camp’s commandant turned out to be a fan of the Giles comics, and asked for an autograph.
3. SENIOR POLICY PLANNER, STRATFORD-ON-AVON DISTRICT COUNCIL
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
The job: "Are you an experienced and enthusiastic policy planner wishing to broaden your horizons by working on the new South Warwickshire Local Plan which is being prepared jointly by Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils? If so, we are recruiting a full time senior policy planner to join our busy and expanding policy team. The successful candidate will not only play a leading role in the production of the emerging local plan but also work with communities in the preparation of neighbourhood development plans, along with other development plan and supplementary planning documents.
"As a senior policy planner, you will have the opportunity to lead on planning policy projects, including research, policy formulation, engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including members, and participation in public and stakeholder consultations and the independent examination.
"Stratford-on-Avon District lies at the heart of England and the main town of Stratford-upon-Avon is famous the world over, attracting millions of visitors a year. Beyond the main town are around 250 communities spread across the predominantly rural district. There is need for significant levels of residential and economic growth in South Warwickshire and the local plan needs to meet these development challenges and its supporting infrastructure, alongside addressing a range of challenges."
Fun fact: If you are lucky enough to have tickets to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s current production of the bard’s captivating comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream (until 30 March), you might visit The Dirty Duck, also known as The Black Swan, a nearby public house at Waterside in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
And even if you’re not lucky enough to bump into Ghosts’ star Mat Baynton (playing Puck) or Upstart Crow’s Helen Monks (playing Peter Quince), you might rub shoulders with the 17 other actors in the cast while looking at the many photos of past theatrical habitués such as Sir Laurence Olivier as well as current ones such as Sir Ian McKellen, Charles Dance and Dames Judi Dench and Helen Mirren. The pub is also close to the Swan Theatre.
It has existed as a public house since 1738 and has also been known as The Black Swan since 1776, although it may have been given this name earlier – it is still the only pub in England to be licensed under two names.
It is not known how the name ‘Dirty Duck’ was coined – it might have been dubbed thus by local brewery families or given the nickname by actors (Shakespeare was dubbed the ‘Sweet Swan of Avon’ by Ben Jonson in a poem he wrote in the First Folio). The pub’s menu records that it was called this by American GIs who were stationed across the river Avon in a military camp during the Second World War.
The inn was originally three buildings dating from the 15th century before becoming a single property. One of the buildings became a pub in 1738. A house next door was integrated into the pub in 1866 and in 1937 was extended into a third property. The building is Grade II listed. Now part of the Greene King chain, it underwent a six-figure makeover last year.
4. PLANNER, PRIVATE CONSULTANCY, EDINBURGH
Location: Edinburgh
The job: "We have an exciting opportunity to join a private consultancy and the role is open to candidates from both the private and the public sector.
You will need:
- A minimum of 3 years' experience.
- RTPI Membership - Chartered status.
- Ability to work under pressure and often to tight deadlines.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel in the UK.
- Experience managing or mentoring junior colleagues
"Experience in a planning consultancy or local authority is a must. The company is offering a completely flexible working arrangement which can be discussed in the interview."
Fun fact: “Greyfriars Bobby – died 14th January 1872 – Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.”
Thus reads the inscription on the statue of Edinburgh’s most famous dog, the loyal Skye terrier who was the patrol dog for policeman John Gray. It’s a famous story of devotion, Bobby remaining at the graveside of his owner long after he had died.
So, of course, if the job is based in Edinburgh (one of this correspondent’s favourite British cities), then this item was always likely to be a story about Greyfriars Bobby. The problem is, we’ve already written about this faithful furry friend in this space.
Still, when you think about loveable dogs like Bobby, you can get to wondering whether or not the design of public places could be improved if more was done to design them around the needs of our four-legged fraternity. Sweeping slalom runs of trees to twist in and out of, perhaps; or sensibly placed and naturally refilling water bowls. Maybe even separate lanes for those with impatient or perhaps bite-y canine companions?
Not that Edinburgh needs much of this, mind; the ultimate dog walk is the one that takes you to the top of Arthur’s Seat. Or, indeed, along Candlemaker Row, where you'll find Greyfriars Bobby preserved in perpetuity stoically waiting for the return of his master. He’s a good boy!
5. PRINCIPAL PLANNING OFFICER (DEVELOPMENT MANAGER), LOCAL AUTHORITY, SOMERSET (SIX MONTH CONTRACT)
Location: Somerset /Hybrid
The job: "Our client, a local authority in the South West, is seeking a principal planning officer to join their team for a 6-month assignment. In this role, you will play a crucial part in advancing a variety of minor and/or small major planning applications.
- Progress a variety of minor and/or small major planning applications within the designated timeframe.
- Conduct thorough assessments and evaluations of planning applications to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and policies.
- Provide expert advice and guidance to applicants, stakeholders, and colleagues on planning matters.
- Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to coordinate the planning process effectively.
- Prepare reports, recommendations, and presentations for planning committees and other decision-making bodies.
- Ensure all planning applications are processed efficiently and in accordance with statutory requirements.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of the planning process and service delivery."
Fun fact: Think of what makes Somerset Somerset and there's a reasonable chance that the word scrumpy might pop into your mind. Referring to a rough cider made from unselected apples, it actually comes from the local word scrump, which could refer to anything small and withered – like small apples that might otherwise be rejected but could be thrown together to make a rough drink.
Cider-making is pretty much synonymous with Somerset and can be traced with confidence back to the 11th century. The area has rich and fertile soils for apple growing, with many orchards; it was only natural that cider should become the local drink of choice, Besides, it was thought to have health-giving properties (good for the complexion in particular) and has even been known to be used to baptise babies.
The first reference to cider as a beverage, though, belongs to Julius Caesar. During his 55BCE invasion of Britain, he found the native Celts fermenting crab apples. Caesar took this discovery back to continental Europe with him when his troops withdrew, and its popularity spread through Europe, too.
The UK, however, remains very much the home of cider. We have the world highest per capita consumption, the largest cider manufacturers and, er, the most alcoholic ciders. Unsurprisingly, it’s a drink that’s become popular throughout a number of the Commonwealth countries, but also Portugal, France and Northern Spain (where Asturias has a glorious cider-pouring tradition).
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