The Highland Council has agreed to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCA) for Inverness City and Highland Rural from 1 April 2027.
At today’s meeting of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, members noted the recent decision by Scottish Ministers to approve the designation of STLCAs following public consultation and consideration by area committees.
STLCAs are an important tool to manage future loss of housing stock, support sustainable communities and balance housing needs with the visitor economy.
Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, said: “A Statutory Notice of Designation will now be published to confirm a commencement date of 1 April 2027. This will allow the Council to prepare appropriately for the change. STLCAs will help us strike a better balance between supporting tourism growth and protecting much-needed housing for local people. The introduction of STLCAs is not about stopping short-term lets, but about ensuring the future conversion of residential homes to short-term lets are properly considered through the planning system.”
The new STLCAs will cover the following areas:
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The Inverness City STLCA will cover the wards of Inverness West; Inverness Central; Inverness Ness-side; Inverness Millburn; and parts of Inverness South, including Westhill, Milton of Leys and Slackbuie.
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The Highland Rural STLCA will cover Lochaber; Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Sutherland; Skye and Raasay; Aird and Loch Ness; and parts of Inverness South, including Tomatin and Daviot.
A STLCA already exists in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward area.
The Council ran a six-week public consultation in May and June 2026, attracting more than 800 responses from residents, businesses, communities and short term let operators.
Support among residents was strong, with 84% of residents and businesses supporting the Inverness City proposal and 72% supporting the Highland Rural proposal.
STLCAs will not apply retrospectively and would not prohibit short-term letting. Instead, they would ensure that future changes of use from residential housing to secondary short-term lets are subject to planning controls.
Any future conversion of a residential property to a secondary short term let within the designated control areas would require planning permission. Existing operators would continue to operate under the current arrangements unless planning permission would already have been required under existing planning legislation.