Conservation Officer
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
Based in the heart of Warwickshire, the beautiful district of Stratford-on-Avon is, without doubt, one of the most scenic and historical regions in the UK. [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk]’s headquarters are located in the heart of William Shakespeare’s hometown. In the District, you will find thriving market towns, home to over 135,000 residents and a tourist destination for millions of visitors each year, from across the globe. We are proud to provide public services to residents, businesses and visitors across this magnificent region, making it a great place to live, work and visit.
At the Council, our people are our superpower and by choosing to bring your talents to our organisation, you will be joining a great team where everyone feels that they truly belong, full of dedicated people all working with passion and purpose, across a dynamic portfolio of work providing high-quality services.
Job Details
This new position will join the existing team of Conservation Officers, Urban Designers, and Forestry and Landscape Officers within the Development Delivery Department of the Council, providing expert conservation and heritage advice to support the delivery of high-quality and sympathetic development, from pre-application to post-application stages.
Bringing your technical knowledge and skills, you will work with the Planning Applications, Policy, and Enforcement teams to inform decision making across the Council’s built environment, comprising over 3,300 listed buildings and 75 Conservation Areas.
You will play an active role in negotiations on heritage impact for development proposals at all scales, including major applications and proposed works to listed buildings. You will support colleagues on key conservation projects, such as revising the District’s Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan documents. You will also be instrumental in supporting our Enforcement Team, providing expert knowledge to delivery the continued protection of the District’s heritage assets.
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):
- Provide specialist conservation and heritage advice across the Council’s Development service, including Planning Applications, Policy, and Enforcement.
- Lead negotiations on heritage impact for planning and listed building applications.
- Act as Case Officer for listed building applications without associated planning applications.
- Support colleagues in the production of Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan documents.
- Advise Enforcement Officers on harm associated with unauthorised works to listed buildings.
- Attend meetings, including Planning Committee to provide specialist advice regarding conservation and heritage matters.
- Provide both written and oral expert evidence on behalf of the Local Planning Authority for planning appeals or prosecutions.
What You’ll Need (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):
- Degree or Post Graduate qualification in Historic Environment/ Building/ Architectural Conservation, or relevant subject.
- Full Member Accredited (or working towards) of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, or chartership of other appropriate professional body.
- Good knowledge and experience of current conservation legislation, policy, and best practice.
- Experience of effective stakeholder engagement and/ or providing detailed advice to members, officers, developers, and the public on built heritage matters.
- Effective communication skills, including writing detailed comments on planning applications relating to built heritage.
For an informal chat about the role, please contact Alexander Folliss, Design, Landscape & Conservation Team Leader on [contact hidden] or [contact hidden]
Applications will close at midnight on Thursday 30th April 2026
Interviews will be held week beginning 11th May 2026