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Senior Lawyer - Planning

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Senior Planning Lawyer (Permanent)

Tower Hamlets Council - Whitechapel, London

Are you the Senior Planning Lawyer we're looking for?


Tower Hamlets is one of the most diverse and fastest-growing boroughs in London, with a population expected to increase by 80,000 over the next two decades. We have the highest targets for housing delivery in the London Plan and a Mayoral pledge to deliver 4,000 affordable homes by 2026.


Our borough is home to a mix of vibrant areas including Canary Wharf, Brick Lane, Whitechapel, and the Olympic Legacy, alongside rich heritage such as over 50 conservation areas, award-winning parks, hundreds of listed buildings, and the Tower of London World Heritage Site--all within just 8 square miles.


With one of the youngest, most multicultural populations in the country, our residents are our greatest asset. Tower Hamlets has been shaped by generations of migrants, making our East End a thriving, diverse community.


This is an exciting time to join the council as we bring the historic Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel back to life as our

new Town Hall

. Our well-resourced legal team plays a crucial role, providing expert legal services across all areas of council work. Following a recent restructure, the team is stronger than ever and well-positioned to meet the needs and aspirations of our residents and wider community.

Key Responsibilities

As a

Senior Planning Lawyer

, you will:

Be part of a specialist team dealing with all

planning and highway-related matters

, reporting to the Principal Solicitor, Planning. Provide specialised legal advice and services to colleagues in planning, development, highways, and other corporate matters, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and protecting the Council's best interests. Draft and negotiate

S106 agreements, deeds of variation, highways agreements, and oversail licences

. Provide

CIL advice

and support the securing of affordable housing through rent and nominations agreements. Advise on and prepare cases for

court, public inquiry, or appeal hearings

, including instructing Counsel and attending hearings. Attend

evening or out-of-hours meetings

, including committee pre-meets, reviewing draft reports, and overseeing arising work.

Advantageous:

Experience in

advocacy and judicial reviews

.


You will conduct your caseload

with minimal supervision

and thrive in a

fast-paced, busy team environment

. - Market supplement available

Requirements

Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of CILEX

(Wales and England). Must hold a

practising certificate

at the commencement of the role.

Our Vision & Values

Tower Hamlets' vision is for a borough where:

People are aspirational, independent, and have equal access to opportunities. Residents are proud of where they live. The Council is dynamic, outcome-focused, and innovative.

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect.


Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach to, and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the post are guaranteed an interview. Care experience has also been adopted by the Council as an additional protected characteristic.


We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and also applicants who live in the borough.

Files

Snr-Lawyer-JDPS-generic-Jan-2025.pdf