Perth and Kinross Council votes to start process to create Scotland's third short-term let control area
After previously rejecting the move, Perth and Kinross councillors have voted to begin the process of creating Scotland's third short-term let control area.
In August 2024 Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) Economy and Infrastructure Committee voted against introducing a planning control area for Highland and North Eastern Perthshire.
But on Wednesday, May 7 the proposal was once again recommended for approval and was this time put before all elected members for consideration, rather than just those on the relevant committee.
Previously it was rejected by a single vote. This time - with all councillors able to vote (except Provost McDade who declared a financial interest and Cllr Frank Smith who was absent) - it was voted through by 24 votes to 14.
One Labour, four Liberal Democrat, two Independent and all 17 SNP councillors voted to start the process of creating a short-term let (STL) control area in Highland Perthshire and North Eastern Perthshire.
Twelve Conservative councillors, Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Robertson and Independent (former Conservative) councillor Colin Stewart voted against it.
Last year Liberal Democrat councillor Claire McLaren voted against the proposal. On Wednesday, the Strathtay ward councillor voted in support of the proposal.
At Wednesday's meeting, Conservative councillor Angus Forbes asked why councillors were being asked again to vote on the proposal.
Depute provost Andrew Parrott said: "My understanding is we are perfectly entitled to bring the matter - after a six-month period - so that is what we are doing and it is perfectly proper to bring it to full council so that is what we are doing."
Cllr Forbes questioned if it was "because the political arithmetic is better for the administration at this meeting".
SNP council leader Grant Laing suggested a precedent was set when councillors were asked to vote again on the controversial Central Production Unit (CPU) for school meals.
PKC initially rejected the recommendation for its nursery and primary school main meals to be provided on a cook fresh/freeze basis by Tay Cuisine at its CPU in Dundee, which opened in 2020. But - after the Scottish Government pledged in May 2021 to deliver free school meals to all Scotland's primary pupils - Perth and Kinross councillors were asked to vote again on the issue in June 2021 and approved it by 21 votes to 16.
Cllr Laing said: "So there is a precedent to bringing something back.
"I think it's such an important thing, the whole council should do it rather a committee. I think that everybody who lives and has voted in that area should have the chance to show where their allegiance lies or what they think is the best way forward."
Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers chief executive Fiona Campbell urged Perth and Kinross councillors to reject the proposal.
She said: "Across Perth and Kinross, only 1.7 per cent of properties are STLs, compared to 3.5 per cent sitting empty.
"In Dunkeld and Birnam, council data wrongly claimed 15 per cent STL saturation — when actual self-catering units (SCUs) account for just 5.7 per cent. That's a fundamental misrepresentation. It is critical to differentiate between SCUs and second homes - second homes generate no economic benefit. You're being asked to legislate on flawed figures.
She added: "STLs are not the cause of housing scarcity — but they are being treated as such. This narrative ignores larger structural issues: a lack of new supply, demographic shifts, and poor delivery of affordable homes.
"The economic cost would be severe. Independent analysis from BiGGAR Economics shows STLs in Perth and Kinross generate over £51 million in local economic value, and support nearly 1,800 jobs. On average, each STL contributes more than three times the economic output of a private home."
She added: "The Highland Council introduced a PCA in March 2024 — triggering over 200 applications, overwhelming their planning system, and creating confusion and huge expense to the sector. One year on, there is zero evidence that it has delivered a single additional home."
The entire City of Edinburgh council area and Highland Council's Badenoch and Strathspey ward are Scotland's only two short-term let control areas.
Moving it for approval, SNP council leader Grant Laing said: "It will introduce stronger and clearer planning controls to manage the number of new short-term lets across these areas.
"The introduction of a short-term let control area will require all residential property owners to apply for planning permission for change of use from a residential property to a short-term let.
"The introduction of an STL control area will have no new impact on many other property owners as they already have to apply for a change of use. It will also not impact existing STLs. Irrespective of the STL control area, the requirement for a licence remains."
Seconding the move, deputy SNP leader Eric Drysdale stressed: "We are only talking about seeking to better manage new short-term lets, not to close down any existing STL businesses."
Tabling an amendment to reject the proposal, Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor John Duff said: "This same proposal came before the Economy and Infrastructure Committee in August 2024 and was quite rightly rejected then. Nothing has changed in these last nine months to alter that position, and we should reject the proposal again today."
The Conservative group leader said it would further hit the tourism and retail sector which had still not recovered from COVID.
Cllr Duff added: "It's not that long ago that we, in this chamber, approved a bid to make this exact same area the Tay Forest National Park; remember that? National Park status would have significantly increased tourism for Highland Perthshire. And yet now, the administration is bringing forward a short-term let control area. Quite frankly, you couldn't make it up!"
Councillors voted by 24 votes to 14 to proceed with the notice of a proposal for the designation of an STL control area for Highland Perthshire and northern part of the Eastern housing market areas.
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