Dear future colleague,
Thank-you for your interest in what I hope you will agree is a role that
is dynamic in driving the future of development of Cheltenham, I am very
much looking forward to receiving your application for the role of Head of
Planning.
This is an incredible time to come to the Borough, as we look to deliver
our exciting place shaping strategy and harness our growth potential.
Covid-19 has raised significant challenges, but also huge opportunities.
We are working on high profile and challenging projects such as the Elms
Park development, the Golden Valley Development, and new uses for our
thriving High Street; these set an agenda where there will be a real
opportunity for you to make a difference.
I need a Head of Planning who will take on the leadership of the planning
service, think innovatively about planning within a commercial
environment, find creative solutions to problems that will improve
outcomes for our customers drive performance; and importantly deliver
quality and sustainable place outcomes.
You will have a passion for looking to deliver change within a climate
change context – can you help us become the greenest council in the UK?
Building on the Council’s commitments around the zero carbon agenda, you
will help enable people to live and work locally and develop our thinking
around 15 minute cities and its application across development.
Cheltenham is a great place to live and to work. The Council is vital to
ensuring the Borough has the services, infrastructure and support that
will underpin the growth we are experiencing. If we are to succeed for the
long term we will need to work with our partners and neighbours to deliver
new homes, new business areas, new heritage and cultural offers and
improved connectivity.
The borough has some real jewels in its crown, but we need to be much more
proactive in capitalising on these, creating new opportunities for growth,
working more efficiently with our partners to ensure co-ordination of
effort and driving investment and funding.
We are already taking a leading role in a number of transformative new
initiatives, including:
-
Golden Valley development, a smart urban /garden community based around
the cutting edge cyber industry and GCHQ's new Cyber Innovation Centre.
This is a priority for delivery
- North West Cheltenham urban extension – Elms Park
-
Investing £100 million to drive forward housing delivery in the Borough.
- Key town centre regeneration sites
-
Reimagining the future of the High Street, developing our thinking
innovatively within the context of a town centre vision to plan for a
mixed and vibrant centre
-
Review of Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy
-
Major bids infrastructure bids and delivery, such as M5 Junction 10
We are a small local authority with big ambitions. Do you want to join us
and help us continue the path of delivery of our vision within an award
winning council?
I see this post as an excellent opportunity for either an experienced Head
of Planning with a passion for delivering growth agendas, or a talented
and ambitious deputy who has already demonstrated their ability to
contribute in a leadership capacity. In return, I can offer flexible
working arrangements and a dynamic team that will deliver a service
relevant within a modern local government environment, you will be pivotal
in helping us achieve our outcomes and placing Cheltenham and
Gloucestershire on the map as a place to come and do business, to study to
live and to visit.
I hope this brief introduction has fired your enthusiasm to come to
Cheltenham and I hope very much to meet you as the recruitment process
unfolds.
Good luck!
Tracey Crews
Director of Planning,
Place and Growth
Role profile 