Senior Conservation Officer

Job Description:

Senior Conservation Officer (Housing Benefits and Planning)

Location: Council Offices, Coalville (with district-wide site visits)
Hours: 3 days per week (flexible and negotiable)
Site Visits: Ideally weekly (minimum fortnightly)
Travel: Candidates should ideally live within one hour of Coalville

Job Purpose

To protect and enhance the District’s historic environment by providing expert conservation and historic building advice to the Planning and Development Team and customers, supporting conservation area management, policy development, and regeneration initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice on conservation and historic building matters in line with planning legislation.
• Assess and make recommendations on listed building consent applications.
• Prepare appeal statements and represent the Council at Hearings, Public Inquiries and Magistrates’ Courts.
• Provide pre-application and customer advice on planning and heritage matters.
• Undertake conservation area character appraisals, prepare Article 4 Directions and Management Plans, and support designation of new conservation areas.
• Carry out Buildings at Risk surveys.
• Contribute to heritage-related planning policies and supplementary guidance.
• Support regeneration and economic growth projects.

General Responsibilities

• Deliver a high-quality, customer-focused service.
• Participate in appraisal, training and professional development.
• Maintain health and safety standards.
• Promote equality and diversity.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role and assist in civil emergencies if required.