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Design & planning

Town planner

Town planners help shape the way towns and cities develop, and balance the demands on land with the needs of the community.

Annual Salary

£26,000 to £45,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 40 a week

You could work: evenings; attending events or appointments

2.4%
Future employment

There will be 2.4% more Town planner jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a town planner, you may work on projects to:

  • assess the impact of new road and rail links
  • plan for housing, schools and energy generation sites, like wind farms
  • conserve old buildings and archaeological sites
  • redesign urban spaces and develop sustainable parks, woodlands and waterways

You could:

  • develop local, regional or national planning policies
  • assess technical information, site data and surveys
  • make sure rules are followed in planning proposals and applications
  • advise interested parties on regulations and policy
  • prepare reports explaining planning decisions
  • attend planning inquiries, hearings and appeals

Working environment

You could work in an office or visit sites.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
University

You can study for a degree or a postgraduate qualification accredited by The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

Subjects include:

  • planning, environment and development
  • city and regional planning
  • geography and planning
  • urban planning and property development

You can do postgraduate qualification in planning if you have a degree in an unrelated subject.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship.

This can take around 5 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and study at university. Contact apprenticeship training providers for details.

Entry requirements

Most people following this route have:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
For more information
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
Work

You could start as a town planning assistant with an organisation and take further training while you work.

You'll need the backing of your employer and you'll combine practical experience with part-time or distance learning study towards an accredited planning qualification.

Volunteering and work experience

You'll find it useful to get as much work experience as possible. This will give you a better understanding of the career, and the contacts you make may help you to find paid work.

You can search for companies listed by The Royal Town Planning Institute or contact your local council to ask about opportunities.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • You may need a driving licence to visit development sites.

More information

Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Royal Town Planning Institute for networking, events and professional development training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in town planning from The Royal Town Planning Institute.

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With experience, you could become a senior or principal planner, planning department manager or consultant.

You could apply for Chartered Planner status, which demonstrates your skills and expertise in this role.

You might also move into:environmental management; urban regeneration; recreation management; property development

You can find out more about town planning as a career from the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Town Planners use satellite data and images to understand how traffic moves through a city and how transport plans might effect congestion. They also use satellite data as a tool to inform planning decisions for site development to assess biodiversity and suitability for development.

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at a local school or college

  • A-level Geography, Computing, Maths or Environmental Science

Find a local provider

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at a local provider in the South West

Search for a degree course

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Chartered town planner degree apprenticeship

Search for apprenticeship vacancies

Employers in the South West 

  • West of England Combined Authority

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of geography
  • analytical thinking skills
  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • the ability to work well with others
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • maths skills
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • business management skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
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