A community consultation on short-term lets such as Air BnB in the Highlands has been launched.
Highland Council and the Cairngorm National Park Authority said it was looking for responses to its plan for “bold powers” to tackling the rural housing crisis across Badenoch and Strathspey.
The proposal itself is to designate the area as a short-term let control area.
If established, all houses and flats within the ward, used for secondary letting, would be required to obtain planning approval to continue to be used as a short-term let.
Short lets have previously caused concern include Aviemore, Granton on Spey, Newtonmore, Laggan, Kingussie, Boat of Garten and Kincaig.
Urging people to take part, council convener Bill Lobban, who represents the Badenoch and Strathspey ward, urged people to have their say if they wanted to “control the huge rise in short term holiday lets like Air BnB then please complete this consultation”.
Proposal would need government approval
Local councillors have long been concerned that the number of houses and flats being lost to the sector is having a huge impact on housing supply for full-time residents while also increasing prices to the detriment of the local communities.
Mr Lobban said: “We are delighted to be advancing this project at this time to support our rural population and communities.”
Comments are being sought on the extent to which the introduction of a control area would help to address the issue and is being run online until Monday March 7 2022.
It can be accessed at www.highland.gov.uk/stlcontrolarea
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’s proposal to establish one across its entire council area.
Following the consultation, the authority will review and consider all responses, before presenting a proposal to its economy and infrastructure committee.
If the committee approves the short-term let control area designation, the council will seek final approval from Scottish Ministers, before the Badenoch and Strathspey as a short-term let control area will come into effect in late 2022.
