Bedford is at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc – the UK’s Super Region. We have excellent transport connections to the national rail network (40 minutes from London) and to the national motorway network via the M1 and A1.

Bedford Borough offers a fantastic environment in which to live and work. Bedford is a regional centre with a range of excellent educational settings, and good quality cultural facilities. It is an attractive market town, with the River Great Ouse providing one of the finest riverside settings in the country. There are beautiful, well maintained Victorian parks and gardens. Bedford has an urban feel but, with many attractive rural villages within the borough, there is an extensive choice of high quality housing in both town and country settings.

Bedford Borough Council’s Planning Service

Bedford Borough Council is committed to a major programme of sustainable growth which will shape the Borough for generations to come. This will deliver thousands of new homes, regenerate its town centres and deliver environmental enhancements and an improved transport system.

This is an exciting time to join our team. We have a number of stimulating opportunities within our Planning Service. These include working in Planning Policy, Development Management, Appeals and Enforcement. We want motivated and innovative planners to join our friendly and supportive team to help shape the future of the Borough.

We offer a fantastic opportunity to continue developing your planning career with an unrivalled mix of urban and rural development, regeneration schemes and sustainable new settlements. We have flexible working practices, with a mixture of working in our office and home-working.

Relevant planning experience, a pro-active approach to place-shaping and excellent customer service skills are essential. If you believe you have these, then we would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in any of these positions, and would like an informal chat please email Janine.Laver@bedford.gov.uk

*Market rate supplement payments are subject to an annual review.

How to apply

To apply you will need to upload a current CV and a document detailing how you meet the selection criteria for the role. The selection criteria can be found in the job profile below. Optional CV and selection criteria templates are provided below. If you do not upload both documents the panel may be unable to score your application.

Please note:

The Council will not normally re-employ ex-employees in the following circumstances, unless the appointment in business critical:

· Ex-employees in receipt of a severance payment (within 12 months of leaving)

· Ex-employees in receipt of a local government pension

If you would like further information, please email recruitment.team@bedford.gov.uk