Wester Ross village considering if control zone should be introduced for short-term lets

If agreed by Highland Council, a Wester Ross village will be consulted over whether or not a control zone should be introduced for short-term lets.

Plockton and District Community Trust said the zone should be introduced into its area after previously being implemented in Badenoch and Strathspey, another Highland Council area.

Alaisdair Mackenzie, vice-chairman of the trust said: “We don’t want to see the end of Airbnbs and short-term lets, as we know they do a lot for our local economy. But a third of the houses in Plockton are not lived in permanently.

“Out of the 43 houses on our main street, there is just one young family.”

Mr Mackenzie said that the control zone would mean that planning permission would be needed for new short-terms lets, and it would not apply to properties which are already doing so.

He added: "We know this is not a cure, but we hope that it will help the balance of how homes are used within our community."

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