A fresh plan to tackle a growing housing crisis in the Cairngorms could be up and running within eight weeks.
Highland Council will establish a short-term let control area in Badenoch and Strathspey later this year.
It will become only the second local authority in Scotland to do so. Edinburgh City Council created one across its entire area last year.
Highland Council’s economy and infrastructure committee will discuss the next step of implementing the plan at a meeting on May 4.
If councillors agree, it could come into force as early as June 18.
But they also have the option of deferring it until October, once the holiday season has ended.
Why is this happening?
Local councillors led the charge for change because of the large number of properties in the area being bought as second homes, or with the intention of being rented out as holiday homes.
Former councillor Pippa Hadley said in 2021: “This is not a situation we can continue to exist within.
“We need change. And change that is strong enough to protect our future generations and their capacity to live in the communities they have been raised in.”
The worries focused on the rising number of properties for use as Airbnbs and “party houses” in the area.
That has been causing a barrier to young people trying to climb onto the property ladder.
The new legislation would allow for greater scrutiny in the change of use of properties.
Under the proposal, all houses and flats within the area used for secondary letting would be required to obtain planning approval to continue to be used as a short-term let.
The volume of these type of lets has previously caused concern. The issue has been raised in places like Aviemore, Grantown, Newtonmore, Laggan, Kingussie, Boat of Garten and Kincraig.
A six-week consultation about the plan was held in early 2021.
That process brought up some pushback, but the Cairngorms National Park Authority has backed the change.
Change is only one part of tackling the problem
One of the comments in the consultation was a concern that the short-term let control area would not actually prevent second homes.
A council officer responded: “This is only one tool with which to help support the full-time occupancy housing market.
“Whilst the short-term let control area will not prevent second homes, other forms of regulation are anticipated to deal with the second homes market.”
Another said that short-term lets bring money into the area and are a major employer locally.
The officer responded: “The advantages and disadvantages of these properties are wider than just the income they generate.
“The proposed policy is considered to establishes a balanced approach to
the issues.”
In its information sessions about the plans, Highland Council reiterated that it is not a ban on short-term lets.
Instead, it’s about letting communities have their say through the planning process.
Conversation