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Month: December 2017

Getting the Bigger Picture: ASSC Announces New In-Depth Study into Short-Term Rentals

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

Short-term letting has made quite a few headlines of late; some positive and some not so positive. There is a debate going on across Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh, as to their social and economic impact. While the ASSC welcomes rigorous debate on the efficacy of all sectors, its own included, it is vitally important that such debate take place in the context of proper evidence rather than have it surrounded by preconceived notions or, worst of all, flawed and faulty data arrived at through poor research methods.

It is this last part – the need for good, reliable, effective, and dependable data – that has spurred ASSC, as the leading source of knowledge on short-term letting and holiday homes in Scotland, to commission a new and exciting research study into what exactly makes up the Scottish short-term rental sector.

The ASSC, in conjunction with Frontline Consultants, will consult with stakeholders from across the industry and the public sector, including hosts, independent operators, local authorities, and agencies as part of its ambitious and far-reaching study. It will do this with a simple goal in mind; to bring together the fullest possible range of primary and secondary sources of evidence in order to make a real contribution to the policies and regulations that impact the sector.

In addition, the study will, upon its expected completion in February 2018, help support evidence-based policymaking as well as developing further the ASSC Code of Practice and improving the experiences of our users. Moreover, the study also aims to combat the negative impact of the current lack of sufficiently robust evidence, and its impact on policy decisions, that has led to a skewed perception of short-term letting among some stakeholders in Scotland.

The ASSC is clear – this study is about producing the kind of effective and concrete evidence that was called for by the Scottish Government and other MSPs in a recent debate in the Scottish Parliament because our sector, and everyone involved in it, deserves it.

This study is not just some naval-gazing exercise; it is about producing the kind of evidence that best informs good policy making rather than relying simply on anecdote and subjective opinion, or on ‘evidence’ derived from unreliable methods such as ‘data scraping’. The ASSC is dedicated to producing this kind of data and to using it to engage in a positive and constructive manner with ongoing debate in Scotland, in particular with the Scottish Expert Panel on the Collaborative Economy, whose findings the Scottish Government is expected to respond to in early 2018. It is this set of upcoming events that makes this study as timely as it is necessary.

The traditional self-catering sector is by no means insignificant. In total, it supports, as ASSC found out in a previous partnership with Frontline Consultants, 15,000 jobs in Scotland and attracts around £723million of consumer spending, £470million of which comes from visitors. With the traditional self-catering sector making such a large and consistent contribution to the Scottish economy and to our vital tourism and hospitality trade, it needs clear and correct policy and tailored and proportionate regulation. This can only be achieved with the most extensive, accurate, up-to-date, robust, and technically sound data available and that, in short, is the reason behind this new, exciting, and dynamic study.

The sector can’t wait for good data, and ASSC can’t wait to provide it.

Ministerial Statement on Planning and Inclusive Growth

Posted on by Ali Campbell

On 5 December 2017, Scottish Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart, stood before the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament to deliver a Ministerial Statement on planning and inclusive growth. He did this in the context of the recently submitted Planning Bill, which has now been laid before Parliament.

Mr Stewart spoke of the need for effective planning in Scotland, both in terms of its impact on communities and the wider economy, and dedicated the Scottish Government to proactively acting and engaging with all stakeholders to achieve this. He also noted the importance of context and argued that Brexit acted as another spur to improving Scotland’s planning process which, despite Mr Stewart acknowledging progress, still, in his view, had much to be improved upon.

Throughout his address, the Minister emphasised the importance of community engagement and the linking-up of different stakeholders and all of civic Scotland. Furthermore, he argued that the Bill currently before Parliament was focused on promoting inclusive, community-oriented growth, and vital to securing investment. Mr Stewart was also keen to stress that the Bill would also help the Scottish Government to achieve its goals in community empowerment and community input, especially, according to the Minister, by creating a statutory link between community and space planning.

While the majority of Mr Stewart’s address focused on the thematic content of the Bill, he did briefly touch upon the issue of short-term lets. The Minister acknowledged that there were concerns in some sectors about short-term lets but cautioned Parliament to listen to the findings of the Expert Panel once they are published, and also called for action only when there is “robust evidence” showing a need to act. There were no further explicit mentions of short-term letting in the Minister’s speech or in the subsequent round of questions.

Also of note was Kevin Stewart’s reiteration that there would be no inclusion of a third party right of appeal in the planning process under the Bill as proposed.

When the question session began, Scottish Conservative Housing and Communities spokesman, Graham Simpson, criticised the Bill for the impact that he foresaw it having on local authorities, particularly in terms of the infrastructure levy in the Bill. However, the Minister refuted Mr Simpson’s concerns, maintaining that local councils would be properly resourced and would not suffer as a result of the Bill.

Labour housing spokesperson, Pauline McNeill, also raised some concerns with the Bill. She raised the issue of remedies for communities who have planning decisions go against them and slammed the Bill as lacking the openness and transparency needed.

Furthermore, Green MSP and critic of short-term rentals, Andy Wightman, took the opportunity to speak during the debate. However, he did not speak about short-term lets specifically but focused on the issue of the third party right of appeal. He argued that the measures proposed would be corrosive to the empowerment of communities in the planning process. The Minister noted his disagreement with Mr Wightman on this issue and claimed that the Bill provided robust protection for local communities in the process.

 

With thanks to Halogen Communications.

Ministerial Statement on Planning and Inclusive Growth

Posted on by Ali Campbell

On 5 December 2017, Scottish Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart, stood before the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament to deliver a Ministerial Statement on planning and inclusive growth. He did this in the context of the recently submitted Planning Bill, which has now been laid before Parliament.

Mr Stewart spoke of the need for effective planning in Scotland, both in terms of its impact on communities and the wider economy, and dedicated the Scottish Government to proactively acting and engaging with all stakeholders to achieve this. He also noted the importance of context and argued that Brexit acted as another spur to improving Scotland’s planning process which, despite Mr Stewart acknowledging progress, still, in his view, had much to be improved upon.

Throughout his address, the Minister emphasised the importance of community engagement and the linking-up of different stakeholders and all of civic Scotland. Furthermore, he argued that the Bill currently before Parliament was focused on promoting inclusive, community-oriented growth, and vital to securing investment. Mr Stewart was also keen to stress that the Bill would also help the Scottish Government to achieve its goals in community empowerment and community input, especially, according to the Minister, by creating a statutory link between community and space planning.

While the majority of Mr Stewart’s address focused on the thematic content of the Bill, he did briefly touch upon the issue of short-term lets. The Minister acknowledged that there were concerns in some sectors about short-term lets but cautioned Parliament to listen to the findings of the Expert Panel once they are published, and also called for action only when there is “robust evidence” showing a need to act. There were no further explicit mentions of short-term letting in the Minister’s speech or in the subsequent round of questions.

Also of note was Kevin Stewart’s reiteration that there would be no inclusion of a third party right of appeal in the planning process under the Bill as proposed.

When the question session began, Scottish Conservative Housing and Communities spokesman, Graham Simpson, criticised the Bill for the impact that he foresaw it having on local authorities, particularly in terms of the infrastructure levy in the Bill. However, the Minister refuted Mr Simpson’s concerns, maintaining that local councils would be properly resourced and would not suffer as a result of the Bill.

Labour housing spokesperson, Pauline McNeill, also raised some concerns with the Bill. She raised the issue of remedies for communities who have planning decisions go against them and slammed the Bill as lacking the openness and transparency needed.

Furthermore, Green MSP and critic of short-term rentals, Andy Wightman, took the opportunity to speak during the debate. However, he did not speak about short-term lets specifically but focused on the issue of the third party right of appeal. He argued that the measures proposed would be corrosive to the empowerment of communities in the planning process. The Minister noted his disagreement with Mr Wightman on this issue and claimed that the Bill provided robust protection for local communities in the process.

With thanks to Halogen Communications.