Filming in Cheshire West and Chester: permits and fees
Cheshire West and Chester Council manages filming on public highways and land; Chester Cathedral and the city's Roman walls involve separate heritage permissions.
Who issues permits
Cheshire West and Chester Council manages filming on council highways and public land. Chester is the council’s filming centrepiece — a Roman-walled city with medieval and Tudor architecture concentrated in a compact historic core. Key heritage assets are independently managed:
- Chester Cathedral — Dean and Chapter, apply direct
- Chester city walls — council-managed public thoroughfare; English Heritage consulted for scheduled monument impacts
- Chester Roman Amphitheatre — jointly managed with English Heritage
- Chester Zoo — North of England Zoological Society, entirely private
Process
Contact the council for highway and council-land applications. Chester city centre filming requires early coordination — the council’s city centre management team can advise on access windows for camera vehicles and equipment. Allow four weeks minimum.
Fees
Council fees on application. Cathedral fees are set by the Cathedral. Other heritage and private site fees are negotiated directly.
Chester city centre access
Many of Chester’s most-filmed streets are medieval and physically restricted. The Rows — Chester’s distinctive two-level medieval shopping streets — are not accessible to most production vehicles. Shooting scripts that require specific Chester architecture should include a recce to confirm vehicle routes before confirming shooting days.
Contact
Apply via Cheshire West and Chester Council → cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk