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Filmshoot / Permits / Plymouth City Council

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Filming in Plymouth: permits and fees

Plymouth City Council covers the Barbican, the Hoe, and the naval city's waterfront, with the Royal Citadel and Naval Base each requiring separate MOD permissions.

Who issues permits

Plymouth City Council’s filming team handles public street and council land permits. The Royal Citadel (Historic England monument) and Plymouth Naval Base (Ministry of Defence) require entirely separate access regimes.

Process

Apply to Plymouth’s filming service with standard notice periods. The Barbican’s cobbled streets and the Hoe are popular locations — particularly in summer.

Fees

Standard south-west council rates. Plymouth maintains accessible fee structures to attract production.

What’s covered

Streets including the Barbican district, Plymouth Hoe public promenade areas, council parks, civic buildings. Drake’s Island access requires Plymouth Port Authority consent.

Typical restrictions

The Royal Citadel is a Ministry of Defence asset with its own access regime. Plymouth’s naval base areas are off-limits without MOD security clearance. The Barbican fishing harbour involves the harbour authority separately. Summer season at the Hoe means very limited crew-only access.

Contact

Apply on the Plymouth City Council website → plymouth.gov.uk