Filming and Photography

With a film-friendly approach, dedicated support and excellent connectivity across Greater Manchester and beyond, Tameside is an ideal destination for productions seeking both practicality and unique locations. The borough has nine distinctive towns packed with a combination of industrial heritage, dramatic countryside landscapes and modern infrastructure that are production ready. 

 Contents

• Why Film in Tameside?
• Road Closures and Traffic Regulation Orders
• Filming with Drones
• Filming in Tameside

Why Film in Tameside?

Authentic Northern Locations

From Pennine hillsides and historic industrial mills to bustling markets, canals and vibrant town centres, the borough provides authentic, characterful locations that can bring stories of all kinds to life. This allows productions to achieve multiple looks within a compact area, from industrial grit to sweeping countryside.

Tameside offers a rich mix of urban, industrial, rural and heritage settings across its nine towns:

Ashton-under-Lyne

Historic market town featuring traditional markets, civic buildings, heritage architecture, and urban town centre streets.

Stalybridge

A mix of industrial heritage, canal side settings, former mills and a new cultural quarter.

Mossley

Pennine landscapes, historic mill buildings, rural villages, and scenic countryside landscapes.

Hyde

A textile heritage area with  listed buildings, traditional high streets, and historic urban settings.

Denton
Home to a strong engineering and hat-making history, offering industrial and community-focused locations.

Droylsden
Canalside environments along the Ashton Canal, residential neighbourhoods, and accessible urban places.

Dukinfield
Home to the River Tame, industrial heritage sites, parks, and traditional townscapes.

Audenshaw

Open green spaces and parks, reservoirs and varied community settings.

Hattersley
Modern residential community on the edge of the Peak District, offering a mix of green spaces and urban settings.

Longdendale

Rual landscapes, reservoirs, moorland and Pennine scenery.

Towns - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
 

Green and Varied Landscapes

Tameside is one of Greater Manchester’s greenest boroughs:

• 26 formal parks
• 37 playgrounds
• 50.72 km² of green belt
• 63.5% of the borough is greenspace
• Major sites include Werneth Low Country Park and Stamford Park

Parks in Tameside - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
We work closely with Creative England and regional screen agencies across Greater Manchester.
What has been filmed in the borough?

• Brassic

• Coronation Street

Explore Tameside's Locations
For more information on filming locations across Tameside, browse our dedicated location portfolio on Film in England's location database:

• Film in England Location Package:
  https://england.reel-scout.com/package_view.aspx?id=78413&key=A9170DD

The database showcases a wide range of locations across the borough, including historic mills, town centres, parks, reservoirs, canals, heritage sites and rural landscapes, helping productions find the perfect setting for their project.
 

Connected and Convenient

Tameside sits between Manchester, Stockport, Oldham and the High Peak, with strong transport links by road, rail and tram.
We benefit from direct access to Manchester City Centre (9 minutes), Leeds (40 minutes), Liverpool (45 minutes), major motorway networks and easy connections to destinations across the North.
 

Accommodation

Tameside offers a range of accommodation options suitable for production crews, cast and visitors, with hotels conveniently located across the borough and close to key transport links.
Some of the accommodation available in Tameside includes:

• Village Hotel Manchester Hyde
  Captain Clarke Road, Dukinfield, Hyde, SK14 4QG
• Village Hotel Manchester Ashton
  Pamir Drive, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0LY
• Premier Inn Manchester Tameside (Hyde)
  Stockport Road, Mottram-in-Longdendale, Hyde, SK14 3AU
• Premier Inn Manchester (Denton)
  Alphagate Drive, Manchester Road South, Denton, Manchester, M34 3SH
• Travelodge Ashton-under-Lyne
  Lord Sheldon Way, Audenshaw, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7UB

With easy access to Manchester City Centre, Manchester Airport and the wider Greater Manchester region, Tameside provides a convenient and cost-effective base for film and television productions of all sizes.

Road Closures and Traffic Regulation Orders

If your filming activity requires road closures or the implementation of a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), please ensure you allow sufficient time for approvals. An additional Temporary Road Closure application must be submitted alongside your filming application.

Temporary road closures are managed separately and require a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO). Applications should be submitted at least six weeks before the proposed filming date. For planning purposes, applicants should allow up to four weeks' notice for the processing of road closures and Traffic Regulation Orders.

Further information, including application forms, guidance notes and associated costs, can be found on the Tameside Council website:

• Temporary Road Closures - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
• Application for Temporary Works (TTRO): https://www.tameside.gov.uk/documents/d/guest/application-for-ttro-docx
• Guidance Notes - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

If an urgent road closure is required, please contact Traffic Operations on 0161 342 8355 to discuss your requirements. Any company needing to fully or partially close a road on the highway must obtain the appropriate TTRO before filming can take place.

To proceed with your filming booking, please also provide:

• Evidence of your Public Liability Insurance
• A site-specific risk assessment
• Confirmation of your invoicing details
• A purchase order number, where applicable

Filming applications cannot be fully processed until all the required documentation has been received.
 

Filming with drones
Drones and UAVs must not take off from or land on Tameside Council-owned land without prior permission.

Permission will generally only be considered where:

• The drone is being used to deliver a professional service at a festival, event, or organised activity.
• The filming activity aligns with Tameside's film-friendly approach and supports creative, cultural, commercial or promotional activity.
• The use of a drone provides a safer or more efficient method of undertaking work, such as surveys, inspections or specialist filming.

Commercial Drone Operator Requirements
Commercial operators seeking permission to film in Tameside must provide:

• A valid Civil Aviation Authority licence or required operator credentials.
• Public Liability Insurance with a minimum indemnity of £10 million.
• A flight plan, including proposed take-off and landing locations.
• A site-specific risk assessment demonstrating compliance with all relevant Civil Aviation Authority regulations and operational requirements.

Applications should be submitted at least seven working days before the proposed filming date. More complex requests, particularly those involving road closures, high-profile locations or protected sites, may require additional notice.
 

Environment and Wildlife Considerations
Drone activity may be restricted or refused in environmentally sensitive areas, including:

• Local Nature Reserves
• Sites of Biological Importance
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest
• Special Areas of Conservation
• Special Protection Areas

Restrictions may apply during the bird breeding season, typically between 1 March and 31 July, when drone activity can disturb wildlife.
Tameside contains numerous designated ecological sites, and filming proposals in these locations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
 

How to Request Permission
To request permission for drone filming on Council-owned land, please submit a filming enquiry to filming@tameside.gov.uk
Filming in Tameside enquiry form

Alongside your enquiry, please provide:

• A copy of your CAA licence or operator credentials.
• A copy of your Public Liability Insurance certificate.
• A copy of your flight plan, including launch and landing points.
• A site-specific risk assessment detailing how you will operate safely and in accordance with CAA requirements.

Depending on the nature of the request, administration charges and location fees may apply.

Airspace Restrictions and Safe Flying
All drone operators are responsible for ensuring compliance with current UK aviation legislation and airspace restrictions. Additional permissions may be required when operating near airports, aerodromes, restricted airspace or other controlled zones.

For further guidance on safe and legal drone operations, please visit:

• View my registration | UK Civil Aviation Authority
• Airspace restrictions | UK Civil Aviation Authority

Approval from Tameside Council does not remove the requirement to obtain any permissions required by the Civil Aviation Authority or other relevant authorities.

Filming in Tameside
Film, TV and photographic companies should contact us before filming or taking photographs in public spaces across the borough. Tameside is a proud member of the Filming in England Partnership, supporting productions of all scales and ensuring smooth coordination across council services. We share information on filming requests with Creative England.

News crews
Professional news crews are generally not required to obtain a filming permit for council‑managed outdoor spaces, but we encourage you to notify us so we can avoid conflicts and add your activity to our filming calendar.
Permission is always required for filming at cemeteries or crematoria.
News crews should email communications@tameside.gov.uk to obtain filming permission

Unit bases
We occasionally have access to spaces that can be used by unit bases. If you are looking for a unit base in Tameside, email us via Filming@tameside.gov.uk

Child employment and entertainment
Our Children and Families team manages Body of Persons Approval - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.
Filming on Tameside Council land requires:

• Risk assessment(s)
• Public liability insurance (minimum £10 million)
• Appropriate notice periods:
  • Small-scale filming: 2 week
  • Productions requiring site meetings: 4 weeks
  • Road closures/TROs: up to 6 weeks

Early engagement is encouraged.

Fees and Charges (Indicative)
Administration fee: £95 Location fees vary depending on scale, impact and location.
Student/charity productions: No charge (proof required)
Evening/night filming may incur surcharges.
Parking suspensions, bay reservations and unit base fees are quoted individually.

Standard Terms and Conditions

• The council will use best endeavours to ensure site availability but accepts no liability for loss of profits or damages if unavailable.
• Production companies must indemnify the council against injury, damage or claims.
• Public liability insurance of £10 million is required.
• No litter, excessive noise or unsafe practices permitted.
• All instructions from authorised council officers or police must be followed.
• Failure to comply may result in withdrawal of consent.

If you wish to film in any council building, park, greenspace, adopted highway or public area, please submit a completed Filming in Tameside enquiry form to:
Filming@tameside.gov.uk

Applications should be submitted at least seven working days before your proposed shoot.