Healthy Places Officer (Spatial Planning)

Overview

Are you passionate about creating healthier communities through planning and development? Buckinghamshire Council is looking for an experienced Healthy Places Officer to bridge the gap between Public Health and Spatial Planning, ensuring that health and wellbeing are embedded into the places where people live, work and play.

This exciting role sits within the Public Health team and offers the opportunity to influence planning policy, shape future developments, and help reduce health inequalities across Buckinghamshire. Working closely with colleagues across Planning, Transport and Public Health, you'll support the creation of healthier, more inclusive and sustainable communities for current and future residents.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

As Healthy Places Officer, you will provide specialist planning expertise to support the integration of public health principles into planning and transport policy.

Key responsibilities include:

• Embedding Healthy Planning principles across Planning, Transport and Air Quality services.
• Providing expert planning advice and guidance to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Leading Buckinghamshire Council's Healthy Planning Network.
• Supporting the development of health-related policies within the Local Plan.
• Coordinating and preparing Health Impact Assessments (HIAs), including the Local Plan HIA.
• Responding to planning applications from a public health perspective.
• Building strong partnerships across Public Health, Planning and external organisations.
• Increasing awareness and understanding of planning and development issues within the Public Health team.
• Developing evidence, policies and programmes that support healthier places and reduce health inequalities.

This role offers a unique opportunity to influence strategic planning decisions and ensure that health is considered at the heart of future development across Buckinghamshire.

Any-Desk:
As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

You will be an experienced planning professional with a strong understanding of Planning Policy and a genuine interest in improving public health outcomes through the built environment.

We're looking for someone who can confidently build relationships, influence stakeholders and provide expert advice across a wide range of planning and health-related matters.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience working within a planning environment, particularly in planning policy.
• Knowledge of how spatial planning influences health, wellbeing and wider determinants of health.
• A strong understanding of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and relevant planning legislation.
• Experience developing policies, strategies and action plans.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and partnership-working skills.
• Strong analytical and research abilities, with experience using evidence to inform decision-making.
• Experience managing projects and coordinating multiple workstreams.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Membership, or eligibility for membership, of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
• A full UK driving licence.

Most importantly, you'll share our values and be proud, ambitious, collaborative and trustworthy in everything you do.

Other information

For additional information or an informal chat with the hiring manager please contact Frances Mason at [email protected]

Internal closing date: Sunday 23rd August 2026 

Interviews: 10th - 16th September 2026.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:
• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/