Highland councillors considering steps towards introducing a short-term let control area in Wester Ross and Strathpeffer
Councillors are considering steps towards introducing a short-term let control area (STLCA) in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.
This comes after it was found that out of 220 new housing completions within the last five years in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, 11.4 per cent are now licensed short-term lets (SLTs).
In Ross and Cromarty West, 11 per cent of potential dwellings are currently licensed STLs, which is higher than the figure for Highland as a whole.
Committee members for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh agreed that progressing with consideration of a Short Term Let Control Area would enable communities within the area to participate in consultation at the appropriate stage.
A report presented to the committee found that settlements such as Sheildaig, Torridon, Strathcarron, Kinlochewe and Lochalsh are seeing proportions of Short Term Lets grow at a faster rate than Highland as a whole.
Within an STLCA, a change of use of a dwellinghouse to STL will be deemed to be a material change of use and so require planning permission.
However, this only applies to new STLs established after an STLCA comes into force and cannot be applied retrospectively.
The report stated: “On balance, the evidence at this time indicates that the establishment of a Short Term Let Control Area may be justified in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.”
Co-chair of the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Committee, Councillor Biz Campbell, said: “We feel that this is worth taking a closer look now, because the overall indicators suggest that in general, both the Ross and Cromarty West and Skye and Lochalsh Housing Market Areas are less affordable and have higher rates of STLs and second homes than Highland as a whole.”
Across Highland six per cent of potential dwellings are licensed as short term lets, and around five per cent of new housing completions across Highland within the last five ears are now licensed short term lets.
An assessment of Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh found that a high proportion of property purchasers come from outwith the local areas.
High proportions of external sales completed to buyers outwith the Highlands, Scotland and the UK could indicate that the local housing market may be distorted by increased external demand.