Jo Moorse

Employer: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Qualifications: BSc geography, Kingston University

I knew that I wanted to work in planning so to get my foot in the door I decided to apply for an administration position at Guildford Borough Council. A member of the planning department left the team as I was going through the applications stage so I was able to join as a planner instead, moving to Kingston upon Thames in November to focus on urban planning.

My job

My job is to make decisions on planning applications in order to regulate the development and use of land in the public interest. Dispute features highly in the process so I often act as a mediator between groups, negotiating between the public and the developer for example. I decide what would be the best outcome and then make a recommendation to either grant or refuse planning permission in line with objectives set out in planning policy.

A typical day could see me out on site assessing an application in its surroundings, or back in the office writing an assessment of my findings, advising members of the public and speaking to architects and developers. Depending on your level, you can be involved in a variety of different applications, from householders wanting to build an extension, right up to large developments such as shopping centres. I am being sponsored by the council to complete an MSc in town and country planning and once I have completed the course I plan to specialise, perhaps in sustainable construction.

Highs and lows

I like being able to influence how the environment is managed and reconcile conflict between groups. It is difficult when the public blame you for a building that has been built, however. It is frustrating when you know that the original plans were a lot worse.