Councillors propose limit on Airbnb-style holiday lets in Scottish Highlands
A control zone across the entire Highland region to limit Airbnb-style lets has been proposed as a way of tackling a shortage of homes in the area.
The restrictions, which are already in place in a small part of the region, would not ban holiday lets completely - but would require operators to have planning permission as well as a short-term let licence.
Michael Gregson and Duncan Macpherson, the local councillors who put forward the proposal, said the Highlands needed over 24,000 homes over the next 10 years. They added 7,011 short-term let licences had been granted across the region, but only four refused.
They said the powers could be implemented where local demand called for them, reports the BBC.
In a paper going out to next week's meeting of the full Highland Council, they said: "The private long-term rental market has shrunk disastrously: estate agents are withdrawing from letting out properties because of the shortage of properties available.
"Even taking into account the efforts of Highland Council and the housing associations, there is a shortage of affordable housing."
Council officials have said implementing the control status across the entire area would first require research, and could mean increased costs and workload for its planning department.
The councillors explained the local authority should first ask the Scottish Government to revisit its original plan to have a policy for over-provision within short-term lets legislation. If this was not possible, they said approval for Highland control area status should be sought.
Officials said in response both suggestions brought financial implications for the council, as well as potential challenges in extending the controls to the whole region.
Highland Council's first control zone was approved in December 2023 and covers the areas of Badenoch and Strathspey.
Councillors who supported it being implemented said it was needed because workers and local young people were having difficulties in finding affordable homes.
However, the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers (ASSC) said at the time targeting legitimate small businesses to address longstanding housing issues showed "a muddled sense of priorities".
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A law requiring operators to have a licence was enforced across Scotland in October 2023. However, the introduction of control policies in other areas has also not been without its challenges.
The City of Edinburgh Council previously had to amend its licensing scheme following a court ruling. The entire local authority area was designated as Scotland's first short-term let control area in September 2022.
However, the following August, parts of the policy were deemed to be unlawful. This applied in particular to presumptions against allowing whole tenement flats being used for short-term lets, unless their owners could prove exemption.
Opponents accused the council of attempting to "shut down the sector".
Another change to the policy came in February this year, when costs of "home sharing" were reduced and some requirements, such as legionella testing, for homes rented with a temporary exemption to the scheme were scrapped.
It was hoped this would help to ease the accommodation crisis during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which continues to affect visiting performers and audiences.
This May, councillors in Perth and Kinross voted to begin creating Scotland's third control area, despite previously rejecting the move.
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