Planning Permission for Film and TV

If you are a project manager planning to spend time at a specific location to film video content, you will most likely require some degree of permission to use that space. If the space is owned by a private organisation, or if it is a public space, you will need to discuss your plans to use it with the associated authority. Additionally, you will need to ensure you provide the correct welfare facilities for your workers.

In the following guide, the portable accommodation and welfare facility experts at Bunkabin explain why you require planning permission to film in certain locations and how to get it, as well as cover the necessary provisions you must make for your employees to ensure their needs are met.

Why do you need planning permission for film and TV projects?

There are a number of reasons why the UK government and private organisations require production companies to request planning permission to film. Firstly, filming in an area will most likely disrupt business operations or other activities that the area is typically used for. To minimise this disruption and allow those who would normally use the space to plan around it, project managers should arrange a date and time to use the space.

For larger projects that may cause a bigger disruption, such as blocking roads or taking up public venues like parks or libraries, the local authority must approve the plan. In some cases - such as where roads, explosive effects and prop weapons are used - the police may also need to be informed and present. If the production company plans to use a busy public road at rush hour, the local authority may not allow the use of this space, as it will likely cause significant disruptions to individuals' travel. Make sure to check with the relevant local authority for specific information on how to handle planning permission requests.

Additionally, putting a plan in place is a necessary part of adhering to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) legal requirements of workplaces. Without a plan and a thorough risk assessment conducted by a health and safety professional, the risks of the location cannot be properly identified or managed, and the production company and project manager will be liable for any injuries that occur on-site.

If a film production company goes ahead with filming before they have received planning permission, they could incur heavy fines and legal action, and the project will not be allowed to continue. To ensure that your film location complies with the UK's health and safety laws, ensure that you acquire planning permission from the relevant authority.

When do you not need planning permission?

Production companies do not require planning permission if they film on a location and cause minimal disruption - for example, if they are in an outdoor public space with a small crew and are not in the way of passersby. However, small teams should still inform the local council that they are planning to film at the site.

If the land is private, or there are specific rules about filming on it, the company or individuals involved with the filming may incur legal repercussions if they do not seek permission. For example, Trafalgar Square in London is a large public space, but film crews require permission from the council to film there. You should always do your research before making the decision to film at a location.

Always check with the local council if you’re planning to film a certain location to ensure that you apply for the relevant permissions.

How can you get planning permission to film?

Planning permission can be acquired by speaking to the authority in charge of the space and requesting that it be used for filming. Depending on the type of venue, you may need to pay for a filming permit or hire the space. In some cases, simply informing the authority that you plan to film is enough.

Private businesses may request some sort of compensation for the use of their space and any disruption caused by it. This could be a payment to hire the location, or a brand deal in which the business may receive promotion from the use of its space.

Although the process of requesting planning permission is usually simple, organisations can make demands that may be expensive or unreasonable. You should be prepared in case you are unable to meet these demands, and ensure you have other backup locations should your plan fall through.

What health and safety requirements must you meet on a film location?

The production company is responsible for meeting health and safety standards set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when filming anywhere in the UK, even if the workers involved are not UK citizens, are freelancers or are not being paid. Production companies must ensure they put a health and safety management team in place to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Before any filming can be done at a location, a comprehensive risk assessment must be carried out by a HSE-verified health and safety professional. To do so, the production company or project manager must ensure that all of their plans and their associated risks have been accounted for, and steps to reduce the chance of accidents or injury have been taken. Throughout the filming process, the risk assessment must be revised regularly to ensure that it is still relevant to the situation, and that any new hazards that have popped up have been identified and can be managed.

For filming locations in isolated areas, such as rural parts of the country, the production company should consider providing portable accommodation and welfare facilities. If the team must spend an extended period of time on the film location, they will need access to certain amenities and welfare solutions. These include:

• Toilets
• Sinks or showers to freshen up
• Rest spaces to take a break
• Secure spaces to keep belongings
• Somewhere to sleep

Temporary accommodation and welfare solutions can help production companies to meet these requirements, and they bring many benefits. Commuting to a film location can be expensive and have a detrimental effect on the environment. Hotel stays are also expensive and may require a commute. Temporary accommodation can be installed directly onto the site with minimal effort, and it can be removed once it is no longer needed. This is both more convenient and better for the environment than commuting. Additionally, installing temporary accommodation is typically more affordable than long hotel stays.

Bunkabin's temporary accommodation solutions are built with top-of-the-line materials and equipment, to be shipped directly to our clients' site locations. We have helped many project managers and companies to ensure they meet HSE requirements and their workers' needs. For more information on the cabins that Bunkabin provides, visit our portable cabins page, or call us today on 0345 456 7899. Alternatively, fill out our online contact form and we will return your call at a time convenient for you.