The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Bid to limit number of Airbnbs in East Neuk
Abid to control the number of Airbnbs and other short-term lets in the East Neuk will be launched next week.
The picturesque corner of Fife is popular with holidaymakers and has seen an increase in the number of properties let to visitors.
But some residents fear the trend is pushing up property prices and pricing locals out of the market.
Just last month, a house in Elie sold for a £600,000 over the asking price, and there are concerns villages could be “taken over” if the number of short-term lets continues to rise.
Fife’s Liberal Democrat group says it is now time to balance the needs of the tourism sector with those of communities.
And they are urging councillors to support a motion that would mean people need planning permission to turn a home into holiday lets.
A survey by the Scottish Greens in 2018 found almost half of all properties in Elie were holiday homes – however, some locals believe the figure could be as high as 70%.
The Scottish Government says most of the 1,300 Airbnbs in Fife are in the East Neuk or St Andrews.
According to their research, 46% of East Neuk residents think there are too many short-term lets in their area and many are concerned about the availability of affordable homes.
While tourism is undoubtedly important, the Lib Dems say there must be a balance.
East Neuk and Landward councillor Bill Porteous said: “Setting up a controlled area for shortterm lets will be welcome news for many people in the community.
“Many are concerned about the long-term availability of affordable homes, which impinges on local employment opportunities and local businesses, in order to ensure a great future for our area.”
However, he said the measure is not a silver bullet and he has also called for the building of more affordable homes.
Lib Dem group leader Tim Brett insists Fife Council now has the power to address the problem.
“Tourism is vital for our area, but there needs to be a balance that doesn’t make life difficult for people who want to live and work in the area,” he said.
The Scottish Government’s control area regulations came into force on April 1. Their purpose is to help manage high concentrations of shortterm letting where it limits the availability of residential housing and should ensure homes are used in the best interests of the community.
Meanwhile, a proposed Airbnb licensing scheme is also under review.
If Fife Council backs the motion for an control zone, the proposal will go out to public consultation and then be passed to Scottish ministers for approval.
North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie is keen to see the new powers introduced as soon as possible.
“I support a healthy holiday let sector, but if that takes over an area it means that the area is often empty for large parts of the year, which affects the shops, the schools and the bus service,” he said.
“By controlling the growth of holiday lets we may be able to change how these communities exist and grow and tilt the balance back to more fulltime residents.”