Planning Officer (Design)


Company:	City of London Corporation
Salary:	Not specified
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	City of London, EC4V 3AL
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	8 Oct 2026
Closing date:	30 Oct 2026

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Summary

City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is seeking a talented design and heritage officer to join the Design Team, within the City’s Planning service, to work at the cutting edge of conservation and design.

We are a dynamic and welcoming team of architects, conservationists, accessibility and inclusion specialists, public realm experts, urban designers and an archaeologist.

The Square Mile is an international centre for growth – and a historic place of international significance. Here, design and conservation are inseparable from one another, and success requires a progressive, out-of-the-box approach to both disciplines.

As a team, we take pride in our pragmatism, our quick action, and our decisive and fluently articulated advice to all our stakeholders. We are known for our deference to the old, enthusiasm for the new, and passion for inclusion.

About You 

We are looking for people with a different way of seeing, who are at ease with change, who recognise the strength and charisma of heritage assets, and who can bring flair to the business of design (and planning in general).

As a member of our Design Team, you will bring this sort of approach to all that you do. You will be able to engender enthusiasm and support for conservation and design, working collaboratively with colleagues across Development Management, Transport, Sustainability, Public Realm, Policy and S106 Planning, you will play a key role in ensuring that charismatic design and celebrating heritage are intrinsic to the delivery of growth in the Square Mile.

You will provide urban design and conservation advice on the management, evaluation, and negotiation of a wide range of planning and listed building consent applications from pre-application through to delivery on site.

Where necessary, you will find and successfully promote alternative design solutions to balance urban design, and conservation issues to deliver good growth and high quality and innovative design. You will contribute to the development of policy and planning guidance in these areas as well as design guides and Conservation Area Appraisals. In all of this work, you will not be afraid to think outside the box.

You will be inclusive in your approach, with an ability to think holistically, embracing landscape, biodiversity, public realm, access and inclusion and the wider sustainability agenda. Though you will have a flair for the detail, you will – crucially – be able to see past it to the bigger picture.

You will hold a degree or equivalent in planning, urban design, building conservation, architecture (or other relevant qualifications), or you will have demonstrable experience across these relevant fields. Membership or eligibility for membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation or another relevant professional body would be a plus.

Digital literacy, commitment to excellent customer service, a flexible approach to work and the ability to manage high workloads and testing deadlines are essential qualities for this role.

The City of London Corporation is currently undergoing a programme to ensure that our pay and reward practices are competitive and equitable across the whole organisation, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the work that we do.

Closing date: 23:59pm on 30 October 2026

Interviews will be held on W/c 2 November 2026

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