The council has stated the 400m cordon in Southway has not been lifted, though the bomb has now been made safe.
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Community Safety from Plymouth City Council, said: “We know this has been a deeply distressing and inconvenient time for local residents and businesses, and we want to sincerely thank everyone for their patience, cooperation and understanding throughout this incident.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to the brave Army and Royal Navy unexploded ordnance specialists who have worked tirelessly over recent days. They quite literally put their lives on the line and it is thanks to their exceptional expertise, professionalism and care that this operation was brought to a safe conclusion.
“The safety of our residents and businesses is, and always will be, our absolute priority. Over the past 24 hours, around 450 tonnes of sand were transported to the site and substantial protective measures were installed, including the erection of walls and the digging of trenches to mitigate the impact of any detonation and reduce ground shock.
“This means we must now carry out detailed assessments of damage in the surrounding area, including structural checks on nearby properties, before we can safely lift the cordon.
“We understand that residents and businesses will be anxious to return and we ask for patience while these vital checks take place. Our evacuation centre at Southway Youth and Community Centre remains open for anyone who has been displaced, and we are working to provide further updates in the next few hours.
“To reiterate, while the device has now been rendered safe, the current 400‑metre cordon will remain in place. We will update further when we know next steps.”