Planning Enforcement Officer
Temporary Contract
Job Details
Worcester City Council
Service Area: Planning Services / Development Management / Development Management & Enforcement
Hours: 37 hours per week
Working Pattern:
Hybrid working
1 day per week in the office
4 days per week remote
Start Date: 20 July 2026
Duration: 20 weeks
Location
Office Base:
Worcester City Centre
Foregate Street
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR1 1DT
PAY Rate: £17.18 per hour
Job Overview
Worcester City Council is seeking an experienced Planning Enforcement Officer to support the Development Management and Enforcement service.
The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload of approximately 70–100 planning enforcement complaints, including mostly existing cases and some new complaints. The role will involve investigating breaches of planning control, reviewing existing case progress, inspecting sites, reviewing plans and legal documents, understanding site planning history and identifying appropriate next steps.
This role requires planning enforcement experience, strong knowledge of planning legislation, excellent case management skills and the ability to communicate clearly with complainants, alleged offenders, councillors, colleagues and external agencies.
Important – Please Read Carefully
This is a specialist Planning Enforcement role.
Candidates must be confident managing a high-volume planning enforcement caseload, investigating complaints, reviewing planning history, inspecting sites, negotiating outcomes and drafting enforcement correspondence or notices where required.
The role may involve designated heritage assets, protected trees, interviews under caution, urgent site visits and preparing evidence for prosecution.
Candidates without planning enforcement, development management, planning investigation or planning legislation experience are unlikely to be considered.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage a varied caseload of approximately 70–100 planning enforcement complaints
- Review existing planning enforcement investigations and progress cases
- Investigate new planning enforcement complaints where required
- Establish appropriate next steps and action cases accordingly
- Carry out site inspections
- Review planning drawings, plans and legal documents
- Research and understand site planning history
- Apply relevant planning regulations and planning law
- Consider issues relating to designated heritage assets and protected trees
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date case records
- Prioritise workload and manage competing case demands
- Negotiate effectively to achieve timely and appropriate outcomes
- Communicate with alleged offenders, complainants, councillors, colleagues and other agencies
- Write clear, structured and comprehensive letters and reports
- Draft and serve planning enforcement notices where appropriate
- Prepare evidence for prosecution where required
- Carry out interviews under caution where necessary
- Attend urgent site visits at short notice, Monday to Friday
- Support high-quality planning enforcement outcomes
Essential Experience & Skills
- Planning enforcement experience
- Experience managing planning enforcement complaints or investigations
- Knowledge of planning law, planning regulations and enforcement processes
- Experience reviewing planning histories, plans and legal documents
- Experience carrying out site inspections
- Ability to manage a high-volume caseload
- Ability to identify and action appropriate next steps
- Strong written communication skills
- Ability to write clear letters, reports and case notes
- Strong verbal communication skills
- Ability to communicate with complainants, alleged offenders, councillors and colleagues
- Good negotiation and prioritisation skills
- Ability to keep accurate records
- Ability to work independently in a hybrid role
- Ability to attend urgent site visits at short notice
- Understanding of enforcement notices and prosecution evidence
- Professional approach when dealing with sensitive or disputed cases
Desirable
- Local authority planning enforcement experience
- Development Management experience
- Experience drafting and serving planning enforcement notices
- Experience preparing prosecution evidence
- Experience carrying out interviews under caution
- Knowledge of designated heritage assets
- Knowledge of protected trees and related planning controls
- Experience handling complex or contentious planning enforcement cases
- Planning qualification or relevant built environment qualification
Additional Information
This is a hybrid role with 1 day per week in the Worcester office and 4 days remote.
Candidates must be able to attend urgent site visits at short notice, Monday to Friday.
Interview will be held online via Microsoft Teams to discuss experience, qualifications and expectations.
Candidate submission deadline is 07 July 2026.
Disclaimer
On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role.
I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify Fix Space Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.
Job Reference
OR107233
Pay: £17.18 per hour
Application question(s):
- Do you have experience working as a Planning Enforcement Officer or within local authority planning enforcement, including investigating alleged breaches of planning control?
- Have you managed a planning enforcement caseload, including reviewing existing cases, prioritising complaints, identifying next steps and keeping accurate case records?
- Are you confident inspecting sites, reviewing planning history, plans and legal documents, and applying relevant planning law and regulations?
- Have you drafted enforcement letters, reports, notices or prosecution evidence, or carried out interviews under caution as part of planning enforcement work?
- Can you work hybrid with 1 day per week in Worcester City Centre and attend urgent site visits at short notice Monday to Friday?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Worcester WR1 1DT
