Carrington West are assisting their local authority client based in Essex in the search for an Interim Principal Planning Officer to join their Development Management team on an initial 3-month contract. This role requires a planning professional who has previous experience of working on major planning applications and who can manage a varied workload. This role is being offered on a hybrid working basis with an expectation of 1 day a week in the office as well as attending site visits and occasional evening committee meetings. Key responsibilities: Manage a broad range of more complex cases and pre-applications with particular emphasis on larger developments including negotiating S106 agreements, Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs) and providing resilience and flexibility within the service. Manage complex and/or contentious planning applications, processes and compliance, regulations and legislation, acting as the single point of contact for customers on those cases and attending appeals hearings and public inquiries as appropriate. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation, as well as Members and managing key relationships with partners. Access and accurately update all relevant information systems, both customer and back office ensuring that the master customer record is updated and maintained through verification and validation, and in accordance with Data Protection principles Prepare and present reports to Area Planning Committees, Distr