Tree Officer - Town Planning

Carrington West are assisting their local authority client based in the Midlands in their search for a Tree Officer fo join the Town Planning department on an initial 6 month contract.

We are looking for an experienced Tree Officer with practical experience within a Local Authority. The key purpose of the role is to assist the authority with a caseload of Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and support the council with clearing their backlog. In this role you will ensure all development management decisions relating to tree and landscape issues comply with relevant legislation, the Development Plan, and other Council plans, policies and guidelines.

Key Activities:

• To provide a professional Arboricultural service to Council Officers, advising on all matters relating to the protection of trees within the council, including trees covered by tree preservation orders.
• To exercise the Council's statutory duties, inspecting, creating, serving, confirming & defending all new Tree Preservation Orders under agreement with the relevant delegated authority.
• To carry out detailed appraisals of applications & notifications made under protected tree legislation providing recommendation on decisions to your line manager.
• To hold an excellent understanding of all matters pertaining to vegetation induced subsidence so as to correctly assess and advise on tree application decision notices, planning applications and the defence of the Council's position on both.
• To have an excellent understanding of tree health and associated problems along with the ability to diagnose and assess the condition of a tree and advise a solution in accordance with best industry practices.
• To monitor compliance with arboricultural and landscape related conditions attached to planning permissions / legal agreements and manage the resolution of non-compliance.
• To raise public awareness of trees, tree legislation and best practice by providing advise to council officers, councillors and other community groups and updating external communications such as the council website.
• To investigate reports of unauthorised tree felling, and to manage enforcement action thereafter.

Although not mandatory, it would be beneficial to hold a membership or have eligibility for membership to a recognised related professional body (e.g. Landscape Institute / Arboricultural Association); possess the following Arboricultural qualifications & experience: Arboriculture and Forestry Advanced Diploma Level 3 or equivalent Certificated Lantra Professional Tree Inspection; and Experience in Tree Risk Assessment using a recognised methodology such as QTRA (Quantified Tree Risk Assessment).  Weekly presence on site is required (Fortnightly visits are a possibility).

We are looking to schedule interviews as soon as possible; if you would like further information or would like to apply, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Carrington West Pay Rate - £40-£50per/hour (Negotiable depending on experience & hours available) Job Ref - 68891

Please call Cameron de Wit on (phone number removed) for a confidential discussion on this role, or email myself or our planning team if you are short of time to chat: (url removed) (url removed)

Carrington West's dedicated Town Planning Recruitment Team supply clients UK wide on both a permanent and contract basis and all levels of seniority. If this role is too senior, too junior or in a location that is unsuitable, but you are keen on options, please still feel free to apply and we can discuss other, often unadvertised roles with you