We’re recruiting planning inspectors to conduct local plan examinations across England – and we want to hear from experienced planning professionals like you.
Register your interest and be notified when job applications become available.
About the role
Local plans are at the heart of England’s planning system. They set out how communities will develop over the next 10 to 15 years, from housing and employment to infrastructure and environmental protection.
As a planning inspector at the Planning Inspectorate, you’ll examine these plans to ensure they meet legal requirements and tests of soundness before they’re adopted. You’ll work independently, assess complex evidence, and make recommendations that shape the places where people live and work.
This is a rare opportunity to:
- use your planning expertise to influence strategic development across England
- work on varied and complex casework
- enjoy flexible, predominantly home-based working with national travel
- be part of the Civil Service with excellent benefits including a competitive pension scheme and generous annual leave
Who we’re looking for
We’re recruiting inspectors at band 2 and band 3 level. We’re particularly interested in hearing from senior planning professionals with experience in:
- local plan preparation or examination
- planning policy and strategy
- local authority planning
- planning consultancy
- related professions such as architecture, surveying and law
If you’ve been involved in local plan examinations, understand the challenges of plan-making, and want to contribute your expertise at a national level, this could be the role for you.
Why now?
Planning reform is a government priority. The government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes this Parliament and reforming the planning system to support economic growth and infrastructure delivery. Planning inspectors play a crucial role in this mission – examining the local plans that will deliver homes and enable vital infrastructure across England.
We’re expecting a significant increase in local plan submissions from councils. Your expertise will be vital in ensuring these plans are examined effectively and communities can get the certainty they need about their area’s future development.
Why the Planning Inspectorate?
This is an exciting time to join the planning profession. With unprecedented investment in housing and infrastructure, strong sector growth, and the incoming reforms to the planning system, there has never been a better time to be part of shaping England’s future development.
Join us at a pivotal moment for planning:
- Be part of significant growth - this recruitment drive represents the largest expansion of the planning inspector profession in decades, offering you the opportunity to join a growing cohort of professionals at a time of unprecedented investment in the sector
- Shape planning reform - play a direct role in implementing the government’s planning reforms and contribute to delivering the homes and infrastructure England needs
- Strong career development - benefit from comprehensive training, ongoing professional development, and excellent networking opportunities within the Planning Inspectorate and wider Civil Service
- Job security and benefits - join the Civil Service with an 28.97% pension scheme, 25 days annual leave + 1 additional per year up to 30 days , and the stability of a growing profession in a priority area for government
- Work-life balance - enjoy genuine flexibility with home-based working and control over how you manage your caseload, while maintaining a varied and intellectually stimulating workload
- National opportunities - work across England from wherever you’re based, with travel built into the role
What happens next?
We’re still finalising the job specification and will be opening applications soon.
Register for job alerts to be notified when applications open:
We’ll also be running drop-in webinars where you can:
- find out more about what planning inspectors do day-to-day
- hear directly from inspectors about their experiences
- learn about working at the Planning Inspectorate and the Civil Service
- ask questions about the role and application process
Once you’ve registered for alerts, we’ll send you details of when these webinar sessions will take place.
About the Planning Inspectorate
The Planning Inspectorate deals with planning appeals, national infrastructure planning applications, examinations of local plans and other planning-related casework in England and Wales. We’re an executive agency of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Our inspectors are independent decision makers who work on behalf of the Secretary of State. They’re based across the country and bring expertise from various professional backgrounds including planning, law, architecture, engineering and environmental professions.
Register your interest now to be the first to know when applications open
Questions?
For queries about this recruitment campaign, please contact PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk