Planning Enforcement Investigator

Overview

How you’ll make a difference

As a Planning Enforcement Investigator, you will help to make South Gloucestershire a safe place to live, visit, and work in. Working as part of a team, you will play a key role in contributing towards a high-quality built environment for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors.

We are recruiting for either two part time vacancies (18.50 hours each) or one full time vacancy (37 hours), please let us know on your application which is your preference.

What you will be doing

• It will be your responsibility to investigate complaints regarding alleged breaches of planning control and to monitor the implementation of planning permissions.
• In this investigative role, you will establish the relevant site history and planning constraints, carry out site visits to take evidence and undertake interviews with complainants, alleged offenders and other interested parties.
• It will be key for you to gather the available evidence and subsequently analyse investigations in planning terms, assessing the facts of the case and compliance with the planning system.
• Communicating with a range of internal and external individuals, you will represent the Planning Enforcement Service and South Gloucestershire Council, delivering a high-quality service and demonstrate the councils core values.

What we need from you

• You will have experience of working within planning or undertaking investigations.
• Ideally, you will understand planning enforcement legislation and policy, have used scaled drawings and maps and be a confident user of computer systems.
• You must have strong communication skills, both in conversation and in writing and can use diplomacy and decisiveness during difficult situations.
• We require you to be organised as you will have an assigned workload, with the ability to achieve set deadlines.
• It is vital that you have the confidence and are competent to carry out lone-working site visits.

What you need to know

• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle or have an alternative means of travel.
• This role is hybrid, with a mixture of working at our office in Yate, working in the community, and working from home.
• On occasion, you will be expected to work outside normal hours to investigate breaches of planning control.

 

Interviews to be held between 15th – 26th September 2025.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.  
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.    

 

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We’re building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We’re planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses. 
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.   

 

We’ve achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.   

 

We’re making a difference, be part of it!   

 

To view the full job description, please click this link: Planning Enforcement Investigator job description