Town Planner

Your New Company A large, fast-growing Australian fuel and convenience retail business with a nationwide network of service stations and distribution operations. The company is 100% Australian-owned and operates hundreds of sites across metropolitan, regional and rural areas. It provides fuel, convenience retail, and commercial supply services to a wide range of customers. They are known for its fast-paced environment and hands‑on operational approach. Team members work closely together across multiple areas of the business to keep sites running efficiently and to deliver friendly, reliable service to customers. Role & Responsibilities As an In-House Town Planner, you will play a key role in driving the construction and development pipeline by providing expert planning advice and managing all planning approval processes. Working closely with internal Development, Construction, Legal, Property, and Project Management teams, you will help progress projects from concept through to approval, ensuring compliance with state and local planning regulations. In this role, you will: Provide specialist planning advice for new developments, redevelopments, refurbishments, and site enhancements. Undertake planning due diligence, zoning reviews, site assessments, and feasibility analysis across multiple jurisdictions. Interpret and apply planning schemes, zoning codes, overlays, and regulations relevant to fuel, retail, and commercial development. Prepare, lodge, and manage Development Applications, planning permits, use approvals, signage applications, and subdivision/consolidation applications. Coordinate supporting documentation including architectural plans, traffic studies, environmental reports, and engineering assessments. Manage the full approval lifecycle, including negotiations with councils, responding to information requests, and navigating public notification processes. Build and maintain effective relationships with councils, government agencies, referral bodies, and regulators. Advocate for favourable outcomes in meetings and negotiations on behalf of the firm. Monitor all active applications, track milestones, and assess potential risks or delays. Ensure all projects comply with relevant planning legislation, environmental requirements, and local government processes. Maintain accurate records of approvals, conditions, and ongoing obligations. Provide planning guidance during construction to ensure developments meet permit conditions. Support project teams with concept design, site layout assessments, drawing reviews, and pre-lodgement discussions. Assist with internal project briefs, board papers, and development feasibility assessments. Job Requirements To be successful in this role, you will bring: Essential Requirements Tertiary qualifications in Urban/Town Planning, Urban Development, or a related field and ideally over 10 years' experience. Experience in statutory or development planning, ideally within commercial, industrial, or service-station-related environments. Strong knowledge of planning frameworks, development assessment processes, and approval pathways across multiple Australian states. Proven experience preparing, lodging, and managing planning applications through to approval. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare high-quality reports and consult with regulatory bodies. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex planning requirements. Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, commercially focused environment. Desirable Experience Background in fuel, retail, commercial, or industrial development sectors. Existing relationships with councils, planning authorities, and regulators. Understanding of environmental planning, traffic engineering, acoustic assessments, and built-form frameworks relevant to service station development. Familiarity with construction processes and sequencing. Key Attributes Proactive, commercially minded, and solutions-oriented. Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills. Highly organised with strong attention to detail. Collaborative, supportive team player. #J-18808-Ljbffr