Town planner
Help to shape the way towns and cities develop and improve the environments people live in.
Also known as: urban designer, spatial planner, planning officer
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£346
Entry level
£865
Experienced
Monthly
£1,500
Entry level
£3,750
Experienced
Yearly
£18,000
Entry level
£45,000
Experienced
2,800
people are currently employed
High growth
300 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would help to shape the way towns and cities develop and improve the environments people live in. You would balance the demands placed on land by housing, business, transport and leisure with the needs of the community.
You could work in a wide variety of planning areas, for example:
Transport
Urban design
Environmental
Utilities
Regeneration
Conservation
You could specialise in just one type of planning or work for an organisation that operates across several areas. You might work in either the public or private sector.
Your tasks would depend on your role. You might:
Make plans for creating affordable, energy efficient homes
Study the impact of new transport schemes
Plan renewable energy generation sites like wind farms
Redesign urban spaces to improve safety, reduce traffic and increase the number of green areas
Develop parks, woodlands and waterways in a sustainable way
Conserve old buildings, archaeological sites and areas of interest
Manage waste and work on initiatives like recycling
Develop planning policies for government at a local and national level
Make decisions about planning applications
Advise the public, businesses and land developers on planning policies, rules and regulations
Enforce planning rules and regulations on building projects
Organise meetings to listen to ideas and hear concerns about planning proposals from local people
You would use surveying techniques, geographical information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design (CAD) to draw up plans. You would then make recommendations to councils.
Hours
Environment
Travel
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Transport Construction and built environment
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- negotiating
- making decisions
- developing a plan
- sorting
- researching
- resourceful
- designing
- creative
- listening
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Foundation Apprenticeship: Construction
Environmental Science
Geography
History
People and Society
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'll need a degree (SCQF Level 9/10) or postgraduate qualification (SCQF Level 11) approved by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
Your accredited degree will allow you to work towards Chartered Membership. The RTPI has more information.
If you have a non-accredited degree in a related subject, you can take an RTPI accredited postgraduate. Related subjects include:
Architecture
Surveying
Geography
Environmental science
The RTPI offers an alternative route to Chartered Membership which doesn't involve a degree. If you have experience as town planning support staff, you may be eligible for training to grant you Chartered Membership.
To enter a degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of four Highers or a relevant HNC/HND.
To enter a postgraduate course (SCQF level 11) you will usually require an honours degree in a relevant subject.
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