Consideration for short term let control area in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

Steps towards introducing a short term let control area have been considered by Highland Council’s Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh area committee.

On Monday (3 November) the committee considered and agreed to progress with the process of considering the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area covering all or part of the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Area.

Members 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.

The Committee also agreed the following steps:

• To consider and note the evidence presented demonstrating the degree of prevalence of Short Term Lets within Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.

• To note that this evidence demonstrates that the housing market within parts of Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh is subject to significant pressure, exacerbated by high rates of potential dwellings being converted to Short Term Lets.

• Note that the designation of any new Short Term Let Control Area will have no retrospective impact on existing Short Term Lets where no material change of use had occurred at the time of establishment, and will therefore only require planning permission from new Short Term Lets established after a Short Term Let Control Area comes into force.

• Note that should the Economy and Infrastructure (E&I) Committee formally commence the process of introducing a Short Term Let Control Area, this will initiate a process of further evidence gathering and public consultation with communities.

A report presented to the committee found that: “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.

The Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Area straddles two Housing Market Areas -  Ross and Cromarty West HMA and the mainland (Lochalsh) part of the Skye and Lochalsh HMA.

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. In Skye and Lochalsh, 17 per cent of potential dwellings are currently licensed STLs.

Of all 220 new housing completions in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh within the last five years, 25 (11.4 per cent) are now licensed STLs.