STL owner told to take flat off Airbnb after ignoring ruling
The owner of a short-term let on one of Edinburgh’s most photographed streets has been ordered to take their property off Airbnb – almost a year after being refused permission to continue letting it out as holiday accommodation.
Robert Murray was served with an enforcement notice and told to stop taking bookings after failing to comply with the decision issued by planners last May, which found it was ‘unacceptable’ for the Circus Lane flat to be used as a short-term let (STL).
The picturesque Stockbridge lane, often described as the Capital’s ‘most Instagrammable’, is a popular spot for tourists and influencers to take snaps. It is also home to a number of holiday lets; five applications seeking change of use of Circus Lane properties have been made in the last two years since the council’s crackdown on STLs began.
Following the introduction of the new rules, Mr Murray applied for retrospective change of use of the two-bedroom home in October 2022.
In an objection, a neighbour said there was “disturbance caused to me when short term guests have parties”. They said: “This has happened quite a lot in the last few years.”
After reviewing plans, officials refused the bid and said it would have an “unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity” and that the loss of residential accommodation had not been justified in plans put to the council.
After the owner ignored this decision, the enforcement notice said Mr Murray had until April 28 to ‘cease the use of flat for short-term let accommodation’ or face ‘prosecution and/or remedial action’.