Planning Technician

TerraQuest Solutions Ltd; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading planning solutions provider is looking for a Planning Technician to join their offices in Birmingham or Belfast. This role involves processing planning applications and ensuring they meet regulatory requirements. Ideal candidates will have a degree in planning and experience in the planning applications field. Excellent communication skills and attention to detail are essential, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office. The company offers a competitive salary and flexible work arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Enhanced Family Friendly policies

Pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Ability to work in close cooperation with team colleagues.
• Be able to work to deadlines and within a production team environment.
• Strong customer service skills are required.

Responsibilities

• Process planning application validations against a turnaround target.
• Negotiate amendments to application submissions.
• Check and identify consultation on planning applications.

Skills

Ability to read/understand plans

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Proficient in use of Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, Outlook

Attention to accuracy and detail

Can-do attitude

Education

Relevant bachelor’s degree within a planning discipline

Job description

TerraQuest

Role: Planning Technician x 2

Location: Birmingham or Belfast in line with our Agile Working Policy. You will need to be able to work from either the Birmingham or Belfast office 2 days per week/office if within the commuting distance to be attended as often as business needs require.

Salary: Competitive

Who we are...

TerraQuest Solutions Ltd is an award-winning and market-leading specialist provider of planning, land, property, and business solutions. We are an established and trusted organisation that is renowned for its expertise in providing innovative and cost-effective solutions to both the public and private sectors. Our team delivers bespoke, flexible, and efficient services through a process-orientated delivery structure. We pride ourselves on strong customer relationships evidenced by the high proportion of referrals and repeat business.

Why work with us…

We are a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer, committed to supporting the well‑being and development of all our people. With competitive salaries, enhanced Family Friendly policies; a fabulous suite of benefits (including Pension; Life Assurance; Employee Assistance Programme; option to buy additional annual leave in addition to 25 days plus Bank Holidays); true flexibility with our Agile Working approach, and superb training and development opportunities, we care about our team!

What we need...

Due to a period of sustained growth, we are looking to hire a Senior Technician to join our Birmingham or Belfast office.

Reporting to the Project Manager and Assistant Project Manager and working within Professional Services Team, the Planning Technician will be required to register and validate a range of planning applications including, Other, Minor and possibly Major applications as part of a team delivering full end to end or capacity‑based planning validations (PAVS) services for Local Planning Authorities.

What you will be doing…

• To process planning application validations against a 24- or 48‑hour turnaround target and to make the decision as to whether the application is invalid or valid (referring to the Senior Planning Technician or Assistant Project Manager where necessary for guidance)
• To negotiate amendments to application submissions by communicating with the applicant/agent via telephone, email, letter
• Checking of additional information submitted for planning applications.
• Checking/identifying consultation on planning applications.
• Allocating applications to planning officers based on schema.
• Using the Councils back‑office system to update applications and conduct GIS checks.
• Answering queries from applicants/agents regarding applications
• To meet all daily production targets and update project documentation including Daily Production and Quality Logs.

To undertake any other tasks and duties within the scope and grade of the post.

What we are looking for…

Must‑haves:

• Ability to read/understand plans
• Able to plan the day’s workload from the outset and make appropriate adjustments when required
• Ability to work in close cooperation with team colleagues
• Confident in dealing with challenging situations and achieving positive outcomes
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, Outlook
• Be able to work to deadlines and within a production team environment
• Have attention to accuracy and detail in performing own tasks and to quality check others work
• A can‑do attitude, consistently delivering to time, quality and cost.
  Ability to deliver excellent customer service at all times.

Nice‑to‑haves:

• Relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent within a planning discipline
• At least 6 months experience of the planning applications subject area and experience working within Planning Authority/Private Sector
• Candidates to have at least 1 years’ experience of the planning applications subject area and experience working within Planning Authority/Private Sector

Please apply for more information and please do not be put off if you do not have all of the experience and skills required. If you have the majority of skills and relevant experience, we would still like to hear from you!

TerraQuest Solutions Ltd is committed to promoting equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and to creating an inclusive working environment in which individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

We ensure that no job applicant, employee, or worker receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, political opinion, sex, or sexual orientation.

TerraQuest Solutions Ltd operates in compliance with the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998. We monitor the composition of our workforce in accordance with the Fair Employment (Monitoring) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999, and where applicable, submit annual monitoring returns to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI). All monitoring information is held securely and processed under the legal basis of compliance with a statutory obligation, in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We do not rely on employee consent and ensure all personal data is treated with the utmost confidentiality and integrity.

TerraQuest aims to use this data to help identify and address any patterns of underrepresentation and to inform positive action measures where appropriate, fostering a workplace culture that embraces diversity and fair participation.