Do I need planning permission for a short term let?
Planning permission is required for any development. The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 defines development to include a material change of use of land or buildings, even when no physical changes are made.
Within a designated short term let control area
If a short term let control area has been designated, any change of use from a dwellinghouse (including a flat) to a short term let used for secondary letting after the designation date is always considered a 'material change of use'. If this is the case, planning permission is required.
If the property had already changed to a short term let before the designation date, it may or may not have involved a material change of use. This requires assessment by us (the Planning Authority). You may need to apply for planning permission or apply for a certificate of lawfulness to confirm the lawful use.
Outside a short term let control area
A change of use from a dwellinghouse to a short term let (secondary letting) outside a designated control area may or may not be a material change of use. We must assess this.
You may need to apply for planning permission or apply for a certificate of lawfulness to confirm the lawful use.