Town Planner
The Work
Town planners look at the way land is used and try to balance the needs of housing, jobs, transport, leisure and the environment. They prepare long-term plans for their area of responsibility, examine proposals for new developments and give professional advice to decision makers such as government departments and local authority councillors.
Planners deal with problems such as road systems which were not designed for today's huge volumes of traffic. They must also be able to forecast future trends such as increased need for housing because more people are living by themselves. Planners have to adapt to financial, political and social pressures.
Planning work is varied. They could be dealing with a project of any size from a small house extension to an international airport. The work in an inner city could be very different from that of a planner working in a rural area.
Some planners specialise in areas such as historic buildings, conservation, landscape or land reclamation.
Hours and Conditions
Town planners in local government work 35-40 hours a week with some evening meetings for senior staff. Those working for a consultancy work variable hours, particularly if the work is in different parts of the country or abroad. Opportunities for part-time work and job sharing are increasing.
Most town planners are office-based but may need to travel to attend meetings or visit sites.
Skills and Interests
To be a town planner you should:
Training
Trainees often study for a postgraduate planning qualification which is accredited by RTPI. Courses are available full-time, part-time and by distance learning.
After qualification and two years' relevant practical experience in planning, trainees can apply for membership of RTPI. Members update their knowledge and skills through continuing professional development courses.
Opportunities
The majority of town planners are employed by the government and local authorities, although opportunities for work in other areas are increasing. Some large firms such as house-builders, supermarkets and water companies employ planners to deal with their planning work. Planners also work for conservation agencies.
There are opportunities to work abroad. Training and experience as a town planner can open up job opportunities in careers such as industrial promotion, environmental management, urban design, recreation management, market research, property development, resource management and data processing.
Salary
The figures below are intended as a guideline only.
A newly qualified planner could earn £11,000 to £16,000 or more a year.
A senior planning officer may earn between £20,000 and £30,000 or more a year.
A chief officer would earn upwards of £35,000 or more a year.
Further Information
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Royal Town Planning Institute
Tel: 020 7929 9494
www.rtpi.org.uk
Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland
Tel: 0131 226 1959
www.scotland.rtpi.org.uk
