diff --git a/docs/src/common_links.inc b/docs/src/common_links.inc
index c8a7fef74b..7d4e7f464b 100644
--- a/docs/src/common_links.inc
+++ b/docs/src/common_links.inc
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 .. _@ajdawson: https://github.com/ajdawson
 .. _@bjlittle: https://github.com/bjlittle
 .. _@bouweandela: https://github.com/bouweandela
+.. _@bsherratt: https://github.com/bsherratt
 .. _@corinnebosley: https://github.com/corinnebosley
 .. _@cpelley: https://github.com/cpelley
 .. _@djkirkham: https://github.com/djkirkham
diff --git a/docs/src/community/index.rst b/docs/src/community/index.rst
index a9e2a4d040..114cb96fe9 100644
--- a/docs/src/community/index.rst
+++ b/docs/src/community/index.rst
@@ -46,3 +46,13 @@ smoother interoperability:
    :hidden:
 
    iris_xarray
+
+Plugins
+-------
+
+Iris can be extended with **plugins**!  See below for further information:
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+
+   plugins
diff --git a/docs/src/community/plugins.rst b/docs/src/community/plugins.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0d79d64623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/src/community/plugins.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+.. _namespace package: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/guides/packaging-namespace-packages/
+
+.. _community_plugins:
+
+Plugins
+=======
+
+Iris supports **plugins** under the ``iris.plugins`` `namespace package`_.
+This allows packages that extend Iris' functionality to be developed and
+maintained independently, while still being installed into ``iris.plugins``
+instead of a separate package.  For example, a plugin may provide loaders or
+savers for additional file formats, or alternative visualisation methods.
+
+
+Using plugins
+-------------
+
+Once a plugin is installed, it can be used either via the
+:func:`iris.use_plugin` function, or by importing it directly:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    import iris
+
+    iris.use_plugin("my_plugin")
+    # OR
+    import iris.plugins.my_plugin
+
+
+Creating plugins
+----------------
+
+The choice of a `namespace package`_ makes writing a plugin relatively
+straightforward: it simply needs to appear as a folder within ``iris/plugins``,
+then can be distributed in the same way as any other package.  An example
+repository layout:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    + lib
+      + iris
+        + plugins
+          + my_plugin
+            - __init__.py
+            - (more code...)
+    - README.md
+    - pyproject.toml
+    - setup.cfg
+    - (other project files...)
+
+In particular, note that there must **not** be any ``__init__.py`` files at
+higher levels than the plugin itself.
+
+The package name - how it is referred to by PyPI/conda, specified by
+``metadata.name`` in ``setup.cfg`` - is recommended to include both "iris" and
+the plugin name.  Continuing this example, its ``setup.cfg`` should include, at
+minimum:
+
+.. code-block:: ini
+
+    [metadata]
+    name = iris-my-plugin
+
+    [options]
+    packages = find_namespace:
+
+    [options.packages.find]
+    where = lib
diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
index 9d9fa8b342..a38e426e6a 100644
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
 ✨ Features
 ===========
 
-#. N/A
+#. `@bsherratt`_ added support for plugins - see the corresponding
+   :ref:`documentation page<community_plugins>` for further information.
+   (:pull:`5144`)
 
 
 🐛 Bugs Fixed
diff --git a/lib/iris/__init__.py b/lib/iris/__init__.py
index a81d25add3..38465472ee 100644
--- a/lib/iris/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/iris/__init__.py
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ def callback(cube, field, filename):
 
 import contextlib
 import glob
+import importlib
 import itertools
 import os.path
 import pathlib
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ def callback(cube, field, filename):
     "sample_data_path",
     "save",
     "site_configuration",
+    "use_plugin",
 ]
 
 
@@ -470,3 +472,22 @@ def sample_data_path(*path_to_join):
             "appropriate for general file access.".format(target)
         )
     return target
+
+
+def use_plugin(plugin_name):
+    """
+    Convenience function to import a plugin
+
+    For example::
+
+        use_plugin("my_plugin")
+
+    is equivalent to::
+
+        import iris.plugins.my_plugin
+
+    This is useful for plugins that are not used directly, but instead do all
+    their setup on import.  In this case, style checkers would not know the
+    significance of the import statement and warn that it is an unused import.
+    """
+    importlib.import_module(f"iris.plugins.{plugin_name}")
diff --git a/lib/iris/io/format_picker.py b/lib/iris/io/format_picker.py
index edf448e95b..a8e333c566 100644
--- a/lib/iris/io/format_picker.py
+++ b/lib/iris/io/format_picker.py
@@ -134,8 +134,9 @@ def get_spec(self, basename, buffer_obj):
                 value = value[:50] + "..."
             printable_values[key] = value
         msg = (
-            "No format specification could be found for the given buffer."
-            " File element cache:\n {}".format(printable_values)
+            "No format specification could be found for the given buffer. "
+            "Perhaps a plugin is missing or has not been loaded. "
+            "File element cache:\n {}".format(printable_values)
         )
         raise ValueError(msg)
 
diff --git a/lib/iris/plugins/README.md b/lib/iris/plugins/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8dee1de2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/iris/plugins/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Iris plugins
+
+`iris.plugins` is a [namespace package] allowing arbitrary plugins to be
+installed alongside Iris.
+
+See [the Iris documentation][plugins] for more information.
+
+
+[namespace package]: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/guides/packaging-namespace-packages/
+[plugins]: https://scitools-iris.readthedocs.io/en/latest/community/plugins.html