Highlands considering new clampdown on holiday lets like AirBnb
The move is being considered to stop housing stock moving out of the reach of locals
A clampdown on holiday lets, such as Airbnb, could be introduced in some of the most beautiful parts of the Highlands to help counter a lack of housing for local people.
Councillors serving Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh are considering the introduction of a short-term let control area, given the high level of houses being given over to holiday rentals.
Research has found settlements such as Shieldaig, Torridon, Strathcarron, Kinlochleven and Lochalsh are seeing proportions of short-term lets growing at a faster rate than the Highlands as a whole.
Of key concern is that new build housing in the area is being bought up for short-term letting at a higher rate (11 per cent) than the Highlands as a whole (5 per cent), further reducing the potential housing stock for permanent residents.
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Councillors will decide on Monday whether to bring in the control area, the second in Highland after Badenoch and Strathspey - which covers the outdoor capital of Aviemore - introduced a similar policy in 2022.
Edinburgh has also taken a similar approach given the soaring number of properties given over to often lucrative short-term rentals and the wider impact on the market.
A paper to the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Area Committee of Highland Council said evidence “justified” controlling the number of short-term lets in the area.
Research also found a high level of demand for properties from buyers living outwith the area. In Ross and Cromarty West, 53 per cent of buyers came from outwith Highland and other parts of Scotland and the UK.
In Skye and Lochalsh, 55 per cent of houses for sale went to buyers outwith Highland and from other parts of Scotland and the UK.
The report added: “While there is undoubtedly strong tourist demand in the area, further purpose-built tourism accommodation could be provided following the usual planning process.
“Housing is evidently a finite resource and continued loss of housing stock in an area, characterised by little volume housebuilder development interest, has significant potential to exacerbate housing availability in the area.”
Most owners of a property used for short-term letting in Scotland now require a licence to operate, but the introduction of a control area would require that planning permission was also needed.
This would cover the change in use of a property, which is not the host’s only or principal home, from a dwelling house to a short-term let property.
Properties could be turned down for the change of use if a short-term let had an unacceptable impact on local amenity or the character of a neighbourhood or area.
Issues like privacy, parking provision and neighbouring land uses could be taken into account by planners, with residents allowed to submit their views on any application.
The change of use from a dwelling to a short-term let would be supported if the house had been empty for a long period of time, or was located above a shop or commercial unit.
The need for planning permission would only apply to new short-term lets being opened up after any control area was brought in. The controls would also not apply to purpose-built holiday accommodation, such as chalets, huts and pods.
Councillors will vote on the proposals for the short-term let control area on Monday.
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