Short-term let control area moving forward for Badenoch and Strathspey
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Highland Council has announced the start of the consultation on draft planning policies to support a short-term let control area proposal for Badenoch and Strathspey.
This consultation will help inform the policies to be used if the control zone is approved by the Scottish Ministers.
The policies have been developed to control short-term secondary letting across the strath to help tackle the affordable housing crisis locally.
The situation has been exacerbated by the surge in popularity of Air BnB, Booking.com and other online booking site which have increased demand for property in the strath and other tourist hotspots.
Councillor Bill Lobban, Highland Council Convener and chairman of the Badenoch and Strathspey area committee, said: “I believe that given the lack of available housing in Badenoch and Strathspey an effective short-term let control area will safeguard the character of the area, whilst creating more resilient local communities, where younger families could be based and employed locally.
“We need to hear from the community so I really encourage individuals, community groups and businesses to take up this opportunity to let us know what they think on what is being proposed as their input will help to shape future policy.”
The proposed policies can be viewed and commented upon on the council webpage at www.highland.gov.uk/stlcontrolarea .
All comments received will be considered and used to finalise the policy.
Comments must be submitted in writing no later than 3 February, next year.
The consultation period has been extended from six weeks to 8 weeks to accommodate the festive period.
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A local authority spokeswoman said: "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 commenced their proposal in September.
"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."
In the past two months there have already been a spate of change of use planning applications for short term lets ahead of the proposed legislation coming into force from holiday let property owners in Badenoch and Strathspey.
The proposal has proved divisive in the strath with claims that the move will not create much if any extra affordable accommodation and instead will damage the local tourism economy.
