Principal Planning Consultant – Leeds

Strategic Housing, Appeals & Local Plan Promotion

A superb opportunity has become available with one of the region’s leading planning consultancies for an experienced Principal Planning Consultant to join their Leeds team.

This is a firm that thrives on complexity — regularly advising on strategic housing allocations, politically sensitive sites, and appeal-led planning strategies. They work closely with housebuilders, landpromoters and investors to unlock land and secure deliverable consents across Yorkshire.

The Role

You will operate as a senior project lead, managing complex planning projects from early strategy through to delivery.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading major planning applications across strategic residential schemes
• Drafting robust Planning Statements and supporting evidence documents
• Managing Local Plan representations and promoting sites through plan-making
• Supporting and leading appeal submissions, including public inquiries
• Coordinating multi-disciplinary teams (transport, heritage, ecology, EIA etc.)
• Acting as lead client contact and trusted planning advisor
• Mentoring junior staff and contributing to internal knowledge development

This is a role for someone who enjoys technical challenge but also thrives in a client-facing environment.

About You

• MRTPI qualified (or extremely close to completion)
• Strong experience in residential planning consultancy or developer-side roles
• Appeal experience advantageous
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to assess planning risk
• Commercially aware with strong project ownership mentality

A genuine opportunity to take your planning career into a more senior, strategic role.