Local Development Order plans for filming at heritage sites, including Newark Castle and Newark Palace Theatre and National Civil War Centre, discussed by Newark and Sherwood District Council

Filming at heritage sites across Newark and Sherwood could be made easier under proposals being discussed.

At present, planning permission is required for commercial filming at sites such as Newark Castle and the Palace Theatre in Newark.

A district council planning committee was told the need for permission slowed down the filming process, deterred film makers and effectively made many potential projects unviable.

It was therefore proposed that Newark and Sherwood District Council create two new Local Development Orders that would make it easier for filming to take place.

A Local Development Order is a tool councils can use to grant planning permission for a type of development within a defined area ­— so long as certain conditions are met.

The suggested orders would specifically focus on Newark Castle and Newark Palace Theatre and National Civil War Centre, although any heritage site owned by the district council has the potential for its own order in future.

The matter was brought before the planning committee because the district council receives requests to film at Newark Castle and Newark Palace Theatre and National Civil War Centre frequently, but it is generally not practical for those wishing to film to go through the planning permission process.

Committee chairman Roger Blaney said the plan had the potential to reduce the bureaucracy involved in granting filming permission.

The Local Development Order are seen as a potential new opportunity to generate income which could be reinvested into the district council's heritage and culture department to safeguard these locations for the future.

Another benefit is the indirect promotion and showcasing of the castle, the theatre, the town and the district as a whole through media channels.

In order to adopt a Local Development Order, the drafted order must first undergo a period of consultation.

If approved, the orders would enable permission for filming to be granted appropriately, quickly, efficiently.

The removal of the planning process would mean the council's heritage and culture team would only need to consider the operational practicalities when responding to requests.

The committee unanimously agreed to send the matter to consultation and the matter will be discussed by the full council at a later date.