Filming for the second series of the new HBO adaptation of the Harry Potter franchise has caused significant disruption in the Buckinghamshire village of Latimer, leaving residents effectively isolated for several days. The production, managed by Plum Jam Productions, a subsidiary of Warner Bros Discovery, restricted access to the village between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on one day and imposed permit-only access at certain hours on adjacent days.

Residents said they were initially informed of the project under the codename “Apollo,” with little detail shared about the planned road closures. All main routes through Latimer were closed during filming, prompting the use of alternative roads that residents described as inadequate. One diversion directed traffic along Blackwell Hall Lane, a narrow, unlit single-track road without passing points. The only other route required a detour of 11 miles, adding at least 20 minutes to a normally brief journey.

Candice Adams, a local resident, said the community was left feeling “cut off” by the closures. She criticized the production company for prioritizing filming over residents’ access, stating they showed no concern for how people would enter or exit the village. Other residents recounted lengthy delays, such as a father who reported a school run taking 45 minutes instead of the usual seven. Visitors and those passing through the area experienced similar difficulties, with one commenting that detours felt like “going round the South East of England.”

Traffic wardens manned roadblocks on either end of Latimer, permitting only residents with passes to travel through, often requiring them to be escorted. Restrictions were particularly tight in the nearby private Parkfield Latimer estate, where passes allowed only urgent journeys, including hospital visits for expectant mothers. The production also arranged for some residents to park in a nearby field and compensated others to allow use of their driveways.

Buckinghamshire Council’s deputy member for transport, Thomas Broom, said the production company engaged with residents and local stakeholders prior to filming and that feedback had been used to attempt to minimize disruption "where reasonably practicable." However, several villagers expressed frustration over the lack of adequate consultation and planning to address the impact on daily life.

This is not the first time that filming related to the new Harry Potter series has caused local disturbances. In August 2022, Springfield Gardens in Upminster was used to represent the fictional Privet Drive, with residents then reporting they had not been consulted before filming began.

Warner Bros has been contacted for comment on the situation.