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