Planning at David Lock Associates
We do things differently. As a graduate planner, you’ll be part of project teams working on a wide variety of schemes with different clients, in different sectors, across the country, giving you the chance to learn broadly and build confidence quickly. You’ll contribute to projects from day one, supported by mentors and senior colleagues who will help you progress towards professional accreditation and beyond. The way we work is different, you’ll be collaborating with other planners, designers, and technical specialists in the studio, and have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact early in your career.

Planning Graduate Opportunities
To apply for a position as an Assistant Planner, please send us a covering letter and your CV.
Key Dates
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Applications close: Friday 28 November 2025
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Interviews: Winter 2025/2026
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Start dates: Summer 2026
Our Process
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Application review – we’ll review your CV and covering letter.
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Assessment and interview – shortlisted candidates will complete a short written/skills task. We'll invite you to an in-person interview at our Milton Keynes office, and get a feel for the studio where you’ll be working.
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Offer – successful candidates will receive offers shortly after interviews.
Graduate support
We have a structured system of support for our graduates, to help you build a network of colleagues that help with your professional development.
A senior colleague who will support and help guide your professional development. They’ll check in regularly to talk through your progress, answer questions and identify and address gaps in knowledge or experience.
Mentor
An experienced planner who will guide you through the RTPI’s Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). They’ll check in regularly to keep you on track for your chosen submission dates, review your work with you, and help ensure you’re meeting all the required competencies to achieve chartered status.
APC Mentor
Your Project Manager will lead your formal reviews, set objectives through your annual review and Action Plan, and help identify opportunities for your development and growth.
Personal Manager
Beyond these formal roles, you’ll be part of a collaborative studio culture. You’ll have opportunities to attend young planner events, study tours, conferences, and training sessions, while working alongside different partners and senior team members on a wide range of projects. This will expose you to varied project needs and different ways of working, helping you broaden your experience early in your career.
General Support

Guiding you through your APC application

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APC Mentoring
We have an excellent track record in guiding candidates through the APC process, with an established mentoring scheme to support you to gain MRTPI accreditation.
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Outlining the process
As a part of your induction you’ll have a session with our APC co-ordinator, outlining the process, key milestones and what to expect.
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Support and encouragement
Once you become a licentiate member of the RTPI, you’ll be able to select and engage with one of our experienced APC mentors (made up of recent successful APC candidates, and previous APC Mentors). Your mentor will be someone you’re comfortable working with and who you feel will support and encourage you through the process.
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APC Drafting
Your APC mentor will hold regular catch-ups throughout the drafting process and help you articulate how your project experience will satisfy the requirements of the RTPI
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APC Application
Before submission, the DLA APC review team members will be on hand to go through your application and help with any final questions, helping you move forward to submission.
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Costs covered
Your RTPI licentiate membership fees and APC submission costs are fully covered. We want to remove financial barriers to your professional development so you can focus on gaining experience, building your portfolio, and working towards chartered status.
Project Portfolio

I’ve been working on a logistics redevelopment project on a brownfield site and been involved at almost every stage of the planning application process. Undertaken research, written planning appraisals, prepared different planning-related documents, and coordinated the planning application submission. I also tracked progress, especially when proposals were revised.
The project really helped me build my organisational and communication skills, and I’ve become much better at finding the right planning information. The team was incredibly supportive, and our project director and manager were always happy to answer questions, which made me feel confident and included. A rewarding moment was when we managed to submit an updated application pack to the Council within a week, despite a tight deadline. It showed me how teamwork and good planning can make a real difference, and helped me understand how to meet client expectations.
Rainie Mok, Assistant Planner

One of my projects is a residential development, in the form of a sustainable urban extension. I’ve been involved throughout the process, including promotion of the site within the Local Plan and have progressed towards preparing an Outline Planning Application. My work has included written representations, writing briefing notes, preparing planning application documents, and various research tasks. This has enhanced my problem-solving and research skills, as well as further developing my understanding of the planning system.
I’ve been supported by the team throughout, with guidance and being involved at every stage. Submitting a comprehensive written representations pack to the Council has been particularly rewarding, giving me an opportunity to see multiple disciplines come together for an end result that reflected a strong collaborative effort. It has highlighted the importance of strategic thinking and coordination across disciplines to shape successful developments.
Asha Clulow-Silford, Assistant Planner

I joined the Glenvale Park team when I first started, it’s a residential-led Sustainable Urban Extension north of Wellingborough. The site had Outline Planning Permission for 3,500 homes over three phases, but only one phase had been built out under this permission before expiry. This necessitated a new OPA for Phase 2.
I helped to prepare application documents, review the Environmental Statement, and submit the application with the help of a senior colleague. I also worked on post-application matters including providing additional information and monitoring condition and S106 requests. Throughout we had regular project team meetings, and I could ask colleagues questions about anything I didn’t fully understand.
Seeing the planning process through from start to finish, with planning permission now granted at committee, has given me a deeper understanding of the planning process, and the opportunity to work closely with the client and planning officer. I’m now assisting with early implementation tasks, including shaping the design code and phasing strategy.