Planning and Enabling Manager

Guildford, Surrey
Homes England

A bit about the role

Working in a team with Matthew Brown, Head of Northstowe and Dean Harris, Senior Planning and Enabling Manager, the Planning and Enabling Manager will play a critical role in planning and delivering homes on public land as part of major new communities including Northstowe a new town near Cambridge. You will be joining our small but highly skilled, and friendly team who are committed to making positive change in how land is unlocked to deliver new homes in great neighbourhoods.

Matthew Brown believes in delivering a first-class customer service, taking an innovative and creative approach to planning and enabling issues. The Northstowe team values diversity in experience and perspective to foster good multi-disciplinary working and problem solving within his team.

This is a rare chance to shape the future of housing delivery in a very physical and tangible way, working on some of the largest and most exciting developments in the Country in a fast growing, national organisation with real social purpose. Working with key stakeholders, the community and a professional team of surveyors, planners and urban designers you will use experience and creative thinking to get land allocated for development, masterplan new communities and secure planning permissions and have the opportunity through implementation to help create successful new communities where people want to live.

The role will support the planning, design and delivery of key strategic projects around the south of England. There are some ambitious projects to get involved with, some at the concept stage, others in delivery, and this is an excellent opportunity to bring innovative solutions to the planning and enabling offering.

The role can be based at any of the Homes England offices advertised however there is a requirement that the successful applicant would be available to attend the Northstowe site twice a week.

A bit about you

Whilst our day job is to deliver large numbers of new homes at pace on publicly owned sites, you will be used to “spinning several plates” at once and will always be looking for ways to improve and innovate.

Educated to degree level or equivalent in a related field and / or possessing an appropriate professional qualification (e.g. RTPI / RICS etc), you’ll be comfortable navigating the planning system, working on a range of planning issues; including community engagement, technical considerations and negotiations with local authorities. You will be well organised and a good communicator with an interest in place making and experience of interpreting outline planning permissions, undertaking community engagements, implementing s106 agreements and progressing reserved matters and discharge of planning conditions.

Delivering on a mission as bold as ours isn’t always easy. You will be resilient and comfortable managing stakeholders at a senior level and your discussions will always be shaped by a good understanding of the commercial and operational impact of what we do as a Large Sites team. You will enjoy working in an innovative, fun and engaging way and be able to negotiate and persuade.

As an experienced Planning professional you’ll have good project management / time management skills and understand how to manage colleagues and consultants and be able to demonstrate you can work with others as part of a team in a collaborative, inclusive way.

Who are we?

Homes England

The Housing and Regeneration Agency

We believe that affordable, quality homes in well-designed places are key to improving people’s lives. As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, we create thriving new places and transform urban areas, combining the full breadth of our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more homes built.

How? We form long-term partnerships that bridge the gap between the public and private sector to meet local needs and aspirations. We use our influence to champion the creation of sustainable homes, communities and places that are brilliantly designed for the people that live there now, and in the future. And we use our funding and support to build a more resilient, diverse and innovative housing sector, helping new entrants in the market, encouraging modern methods of construction and design, and promoting the utmost attention to building safety.

Together with our partners, we’re accelerating the pace of house building, remediation and regeneration across the country, as we seek to deliver ever more affordable homes in places people are proud to call home for generations to come.

What we offer

We understand how important life is outside of work so, as well as competitive salary and 33 days annual leave, we are totally committed to flexible working. We’ll support you, wherever possible, so that you don’t miss out on what truly matters to you.

If you do ever need a little bit of extra help we have a great employee assistance programme, financial well-being support and access to loads of great discounts with leading high street names.

Our range of network groups are also there to support you to truly be yourself at work and play a key role in helping shape our future.

If you are a member of a professional body we’ll pay for your membership and once you get your top of the range digital kit you’ll be good to go in one of our great offices (or at home!)

To discuss this opportunity please call or email Dean Harris Senior Planning and Enabling Manager on