Planning Lawyer
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
Contract Length: 6 months – initially, with potential extension up to 12 months
Pay rate: Circa £30 per hour, Inside IR35
Location: 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF = 60% onsite
Security Clearance: BPSS
We are seeking an experienced Planning Lawyer to join the Government Legal Department, advising MHCLG on a broad range of high-profile planning, infrastructure, environmental, and public law matters.
This is a policy-focused advisory position supporting major government priorities, including planning reform, infrastructure delivery, and complex decision-making processes that are often high-profile and legally sensitive.
This varied position combines:
- Planning and environmental law advisory work
- Public law and judicial review risk assessment
- Policy development and legislative support
- High-profile casework and decision-making advice
You will provide legal advice to Ministers, policy teams, and government officials on:
- Planning decisions, including called-in applications and appeals
- Planning reform initiatives and legislative change
- Infrastructure and major development projects
- Legal risk management and judicial review challenges
Key Responsibilities
- Provide pragmatic, risk-based legal advice on planning, environmental, and public law matters.
- Advise on major infrastructure and development projects, including energy, transport, and regeneration schemes.
- Support policy development and legislative change, including secondary legislation drafting.
- Assess and advise on judicial review risk and litigation strategy.
- Collaborate closely with policy officials and stakeholders across government.
- Deliver clear, commercially focused advice within a fast-paced and high-profile environment.
Essential Experience
Candidates should demonstrate:
- Strong planning law experience gained within private practice, public sector, or equivalent environments.
- Experience supporting infrastructure projects, major developments, or complex planning matters.
- Knowledge of environmental law, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and associated regulatory frameworks.
- Experience advising on or supporting judicial review and contentious matters.
- Ability to provide practical, commercially aware legal advice.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Highly Desirable Experience
- Section 106 Agreements, planning obligations, and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
- Development Consent Orders (DCOs) or other large-scale consenting regimes.
- Legislative drafting, including Statutory Instruments (SIs).
- Previous experience advising government departments or public sector bodies
*Candidates from private practice, in-house legal teams, public sector
organisations, and international jurisdictions are welcome, provided their
experience is transferable.*
If you have any questions about this role or wish to apply, please contact isobel@deekay.co.uk who will respond at the earliest convenience.
