Planning Officer
Also advertised as: Assistant Planning Officer, Development Management Officer, Planning Consultant, Planning Officer, Principal Planning Officer, Town Planner
Assesses planning applications against local and national policy for a local authority.
What the job involves
Planning officers assess applications for new buildings and developments, weighing them against local plans, national policy and consultation responses. You write reports recommending approval or refusal and may present cases at planning committee. Chartered status with the Royal Town Planning Institute marks career progression in the profession.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess planning applications against policy
- Write reports with recommendations
- Consult with residents and stakeholders
- Present cases at planning committee
- Monitor compliance with planning conditions
Common employers
- Local authorities
- Planning consultancies
- Government agencies
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£27,000 – £33,000 a year
With experience
£38,000 – £55,000 a year
Typical hours
37 hours
Working environment
Office based with site visits
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Policy interpretation
- Report writing
- Negotiation
- Site assessment
- Public presentation
Transferable skills you may already have
- Casework analysis
- Stakeholder consultation
- Technical report writing
Requirements employers ask for
- Policy interpretation
- Report writing
- Negotiation
- Site assessment
- Public presentation
Useful but not essential
- Casework analysis
- Stakeholder consultation
- Technical report writing
- Degree accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute
- Chartered membership of the RTPI
Helpful qualifications
- Degree accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute
- Chartered membership of the RTPI
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Chartered Town Planner (Level 7)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Town planning
- Related subject: Geography
- Related subject: Urban studies
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Planning Officer
next
Principal Planner
next
Head of Planning
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Directly shapes how local areas develop
- Chartered status commands strong salaries
- Skills transfer between public and private sector
What people find hard
- Decisions often attract public objection
- Caseloads can be heavy in busy authorities
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a planning officer?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. preferred
- How much does a planning officer earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £27,000 to £33,000 a year, rising towards £55,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Casework analysis, Stakeholder consultation, Technical report writing.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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