• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday October 6 2026

JLL to shut UK planning arm with 25 jobs at risk

Property giant JLL is to close its UK planning department, putting at least 25 jobs at risk in a move that will hit teams in Bristol, London, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh.

The global real estate consultancy said the decision followed a review of its business and its strategic priorities. It confirmed that staff across the five offices could face redundancy, although the final number of affected roles will not be known until consultation has concluded.

In a statement, JLL said: “We are always reviewing our business to ensure that the delivery of our services meets our strategic priorities and client needs. This has resulted in the difficult but necessary decision to propose that some roles within the business could be made redundant.”

The company added: “We have strong leadership and teams and remain confident in our ability to deliver continued value for our clients in the market.”

JLL’s planning division advises developers, investors, landowners and public bodies on planning strategy, applications and development matters. Its UK planning operation is led by Raoul Veevers, head of planning UK, while Joanna Gabrilatsou leads the firm’s regional and town planning business from Manchester.

The closure is the latest sign of pressure across the UK property and development sector, where firms have faced higher costs, slower decision-making and uncertainty over planning policy. Industry reporting has suggested the move affects a dedicated planning-specific team rather than JLL’s wider UK operations, which will continue.

The announcement will be felt particularly in regional offices. Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh are all important centres for development consultancy, with planning teams supporting major housing, commercial and regeneration schemes across their surrounding city regions. JLL’s Scottish business has previously described itself as having a strong presence in Edinburgh and offering services across the central belt and eight cities.

The company has not confirmed how many roles are at risk in each location. Reports put the affected planning team at at least 25 people, although JLL has not publicly verified that figure.

A consultation process is now expected to determine the final outcome for staff. Until that is complete, JLL has not said whether planning advice will be retained through other parts of its business, outsourced, or withdrawn altogether.

The decision marks a significant retreat for one of the world’s largest property consultancies in a specialist area closely tied to the UK’s development pipeline. For clients and local authorities, it raises questions about continuity of advice on schemes already moving through the planning system.