Head of Development Management & Strategic Planning

• Locations

  London

• Salary

  Up to £650 per day

• Sector

  Housing Management, Housing, Revenues & Benefits

• Type

  Contract / Interim

Housing Revenue & Benefits

Sutton Borough Council are looking for a Head of Development & Strategic Planning to join there team!

Brief description of job role:

●To continue to drive a culture of high quality development management to facilitate the ambitions of Sutton Borough Council’s major regeneration and investment programmes, supporting jobs, well-being, sustainability and housing for residents.

● To lead the development of planning policy, related strategies and master plans which will enable quality, low carbon development including of the London Cancer Hub, housing estate and town centre regeneration and the enhancement of Sutton’s extensive network of parks, waterways and green spaces through biodiversity uplift.

● Provide strategic management of the council’s statutory planning function as the Chief Planning Officer and oversee the provision of effective services to manage planning applications to their completion.

● Work closely with and provide excellent impartial advice to the Sutton Borough Council’s senior leadership team, lead elected members and Planning Committee.

● To work strategically with partners such as the GLA and other South London Boroughs to articulate the needs of South London and ensure the London Plan reflects investment priorities and needs.

● Using leadership skills, creativity and judgement, continually modernise and transform services to respond to the changing financial context and the opportunities afforded by an integrated planning and building control service.

● To play an active role in the Sutton Borough Council’s wider leadership team and contribute to the wider directorate.

Main duties and responsibilities – Head of Development Management & Strategic Planning:

• To manage processes relating to the development of policy, the determination of planning applications and appeals, pre-application enquiries, enforcement, land charges and building control functions.
• To take decisions under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation in relation to planning applications enforcement and other procedures.
• To represent the Council in negotiations with potential major investors and developers facilitating a shared understanding about the Council’s strategic objectives for the borough and establishing the basis for collaborative working which delivers commercially viable development which enhances the spatial quality and economic vitality of the borough.
• To work closely with colleagues in regeneration, highways, sustainability and others to ensure the Council speaks with one voice in negotiations.
• To lead the continued development of planning policies, updates to the Local Plan and other spatial planning documents in accordance with the Council’s urban design, planning, transport, sustainability and economic growth ambitions, and ensure conformity with the London Plan and associated strategies.
• To lead the management of complex, corporate, internal and external relationships that arise as a result of the Local Plan, regional planning policy, national planning policy and development management activities including leading the relationship with the GLA in its planning capacity and consulting effectively with elected members and residents to ensure that developers respond to local needs and aspirations.
• To deliver the development management agenda, sustaining high planning performance and meeting government targets and further developing Planning Officers and Planning Committee members.
• To maximise the use of the pre-application service and other opportunities to secure high quality development that address infrastructure and sustainability requirements.
• To promote appropriate development and design quality (drawing upon the Design Review Panel) to ensure development meets residents needs and aspirations for the borough.
• Effective management and delivery of the Building Control service ensuring compliance with regulations and standards, and maximising the opportunities of market share in the building control service, ensuring a good quality service.

Budgetary accountability’s

● Total budget of approximately £1.5M p.a. (revenue).

● Staffing profile: approx. 40 staff, 4 direct line reports.

● Remit: strategic planning, development control, planning enforcement, land charges and building control.

Person Specification – Head of Development Management & Strategic Planning:

Education and/or experience

• The Head of Development Management & Strategic Planning will need to be educated to degree-level, or equivalent and possessing Chartered Planner Status (essential).
• Substantial experience in a senior management role, including demonstrable record of success in at least one of these areas: development management, strategic planning and building control (essential).
• Experience in providing advice and briefing to elected members and/or senior leadership team (CEX/Strategic Directors) on high-profile issues (essential).
• Experience of the delivery of high-profile, high-contact customer-focused frontline services to residents (essential).
• Experience of managing significant change that transforms services to meet Council objectives, financial constraints, performance targets and/or wider community needs (desirable).

Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and current good practice in spatial planning, development management, urban design, transport planning and sustainable development (at least one area – essential, more – desirable).
• Understanding of the importance of housing delivery, infrastructure, sustainability, quality design and transport provision, (essential) together with experience of creating a responsive and effective planning function (desirable).
• Appropriate qualification and/or experience in the areas of development viability, urban design, building control and conservation (desirable).

Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Ability to position the planning service as an enabler of high quality development that secures the Council’s aspirations for sustainability, transport and infrastructure provision, quality design, and affordable housing for residents (essential).
• Ability to develop positive relationships with a range of stakeholders including government, GLA, other London Boroughs and surrounding county/districts, developers, other Council departments, residents and elected members (essential).
• Astute understanding of the political dimension of the role, including working closely with Lead Members, providing briefings as required, and responding appropriately to Members’ expectations areas to build confidence in the processes and decisions of the service (essential).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including report writing and presentations, the ability to represent the Council professionally, and the ability to negotiate and influence (essential).

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual’s skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.