Planning Enforcement Team Leader

Major Recruitment are currently recruiting for a Planning Enforcement Team Leader

Location: Rochdale, OL16

Rate: £45 – £50 per hour

Assignment Length : Temporary Position

Working hours : 37 hours per week including some out-of-hours working
Hybrid Working

Status: Senior Management / Regulatory Compliance

The Role in Plain English

You are the lead enforcer for the Council’s planning rules. Your job is to manage the enforcement team, handle the highest-level legal disputes, and ensure that anyone who breaks building or land-use laws is held accountable. You are the final authority on how the Council handles complex, high stakes planning breaches.

Core Duties

• Lead and manage the Planning Enforcement team to ensure all service targets and legal standards are met.
• Take direct control of major, high-profile, and complex enforcement cases including illegal land use and waste disposal sites.
• Prepare all legal notices, prosecution files, and evidence required for formal court action.
• Represent the Council as an expert witness at court hearings, public inquiries, and appeals.
• Negotiate directly with developers and landowners to find solutions to breaches before they escalate to legal action.
• Oversee and enforce S106 legal agreements to ensure developers pay agreed-upon community fees.
• Review and sign off on delegated reports and enforcement decisions before they are finalized.
• Hire and manage external specialist consultants for technical inquiries or complex prosecutions.
• Act as the primary professional advisor to the Planning Committee, Councillors, and Members of Parliament.
• Write high-level, technical reports that translate complex planning law into clear action plans for the Council.

The Requirements

You must have significant experience in planning enforcement and a proven track record of managing a team. You need a "solutions-driven" mindset, meaning you don't just find problems—you fix them. You must be comfortable in high-pressure environments, capable of standing your ground in court, and meticulous with legal paperwork.

This is a role for a heavyweight professional who can navigate the law, manage people, and deliver results.

INDLS