Jobs at all levels
The town planning recruitment market has started 2026 with real momentum, with January proving to be the busiest month for job listings in over a decade. More planning roles have been advertised in January 2026 than in any January across the last ten years, signalling a strong and confident start to the year for the sector.
This surge in vacancies reflects a clear shift in market activity, with both private sector consultancies and public sector organisations expanding their teams at pace. Consultancies in particular are showing strong growth ambitions, with an increasing number of senior and strategic positions being released to market. A notable trend is the rise in high-profile appointments, including Planning Director and Planning Partner opportunities, as firms invest in leadership talent to drive business development and strengthen their project pipelines.
At the same time, Local Authorities are also actively increasing headcount, responding to workload pressures and the ongoing demand for housing and infrastructure delivery. Many councils are advertising multiple positions simultaneously, particularly across Development Management and Planning Policy departments. This points to a renewed focus on improving capacity, speeding up application processing, and strengthening plan-making functions.
For candidates, this creates a rare opportunity: a market with high volume, strong role variety, and increasing movement at senior levels. For employers, it highlights the importance of acting quickly and positioning roles competitively, as demand for skilled planners is clearly accelerating.
With such a strong opening month, all signs suggest that 2026 is set to be one of the most active years the planning job market has seen in recent times.