Environmental Planner
Make sure development projects meet environmental policy and protect natural and built environments.
This UK environmental planner career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £28,000 - £35,000
- Mid-career salary
- £38,000 - £55,000
- Senior salary
- £60,000 - £85,000
- Work environment
- Mixed site / office / field work
- Time to entry
- 1 - 4 years
- Degree required
- Often helpful
- Category
- Green Energy and Sustainability
What a Environmental Planner does
Make sure development projects meet environmental policy and protect natural and built environments.
- EIA Coordination - Coordinate Environmental Impact Assessments.
- Renewables Planning - Planning consents for wind and solar farms.
- Infrastructure DCO - NSIP DCO submissions for major infrastructure.
- Local Authority Planning - Environmental planning in council teams.
How to become a Environmental Planner
- Look up Environmental Planner roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
- Talk to someone already working as a Environmental Planner - even a 15-minute call helps
- Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
- Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
- Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month
Key skills
- Planning law
- EIA
- Stakeholder mgmt
- Report writing
- Negotiation