Short-Term Let Regulations Archives - Page 59 of 95

Consultation: Badenoch & Strathspey as a Short-term Let Control Area

Posted on February 2, 2022April 10, 2025 by Fiona Campbell

The Highland Council & the Cairngorm National Park Authority has announced the start of a consultation on bold powers for tackling the rural housing crisis across Badenoch & Strathspey.

The consultation relates to the proposal to designate Ward 20: Badenoch & Strathspey as a Short-term Let Control Area. If established, all houses and flats within the Ward, used for secondary letting would be required to obtain planning approval to continue to be used as a short-term let.

Badenoch & Strathspey Councillors are concerned that the number of houses and flats being lost to this sector is such that it is unduly restricting housing supply for full time residents and increasing local house prices, to the detriment of local communities. Councillor Bill Lobban, Convener of the Highland Council & Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee welcomed the consultation, commenting we are delighted to be advancing this project at this time to support our rural population and communities.

Comments are being sought on the extent to which the introduction of a Control Area would help to address the issue and is being run online until Monday 7th March 2022. (www.highland.gov.uk/stlcontrolarea).

The Highland Council is currently only the second Local Authority in Scotland to be proposing the establishment of a Short-term Let Control Area, after Edinburgh Council proposal for to establish one across its entire Council area.

Following the consultation, the Council will review and consider all responses, before presenting a proposal to the Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee. If the committee approves the Short-Term Let Control Area designation, the Council will seek final approval from Scottish Ministers, before the Badenoch & Strathspey as a Short-term Let Control Area will come into effect in late 2022.

A Control Area is not a ban on Short Term Let and would not change the planning rules around certain type of accommodation. This consultation is also not related to the recent the Scottish Government announcement for all forms of Short-term Lets to be licensed by April 2024.

For further information, please visit www.highland.gov.uk/stlcontrolarea or contact the Highland Council, Development Plans Team ondevplans@highland.gov.uk

Update on the Scottish Government’s Re-Constituted Stakeholder Working Group on Short-Term Lets

Posted on February 2, 2022April 10, 2025 by Melanie Allen

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has taken the decision to participate in the Scottish Government’s Stakeholder Working Group on Short-Term Lets.

The ASSC, along with other tourism stakeholders, had resigned from the Working Group in August 2021 as it was not fit for purpose. However, circumstances have changed following the Scottish Parliament’s approval of the Licensing Order last month and the fact that the Working Group has now been reconstituted with updated terms of reference.

The purpose of the updated Working Group is to assist the Scottish Government to finalise guidance on the short-term lets licensing scheme and planning control areas, ahead of implementation of licensing schemes from October 2022.

While concerns remain given our experience during the discussions last year, the ASSC believes that we must take cognisance of the changed regulatory context and refocus our efforts to help protect Scotland’s £867m self-catering sector under challenging circumstances.

Our decision should not be taken as an endorsement of the government’s position on licensing. The ASSC continues to maintain that licensing will entail a materially negative impact for Scottish tourism and we will continue to articulate your concerns on this matter.

While there is no guarantee of success, we will work constructively and collaboratively with the Working Group to help facilitate the implementation of this legislation in order to prevent, as much as possible, any unintended consequences.

Motion Lodged

Posted on January 25, 2022April 10, 2025 by Fiona Campbell

The following motion has been lodged by Rachael Hamilton MSP:

S6M-02835: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24/01/2022

Short-term Let Licensing Scheme

That the Parliament recognises that the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee held an online survey to gather views on the Scottish Government’s plans to require local authorities to introduce a licensing scheme for short-term let accommodation; understands that, out of a total of 2,578 responses, 1,200 respondents said they “strongly oppose” the new regulations, compared with around 500 who said that they “strongly support” the regulations; further understands that over 60% of respondents said that they believed the regulations would drive up costs for small short-term let businesses, while approximately 45% said the regulations would lead to the closure of short-term let businesses; acknowledges the concerns about the proposals that were expressed by organisations such as the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, Scottish Agritourism and the National Farmers Union of Scotland, and urges the Scottish Government not to proceed with what it considers to be damaging proposals that threaten small rural businesses and livelihoods.

Supported by: Stephen Kerr