Consultation on short-term lets to launch

Perth and Kinross Council will launch a consultation on a proposal to introduce a short-term let control area in Highland Perthshire and part of Eastern Perthshire.

Yesterday, councillors on the council’s environment, infrastructure and economic development committee voted narrowly by eight votes to seven to proceed.

The eight-week consultation will run from June 2 to July 28.

Conservative and Independent councillors wanted to delay the consultation until the council had a clearer idea of how many short-term lets there were in the area, and where, but were outvoted.

Figures put before the committee showed there had been a 25% increase in self-catering units in Perth and Kinross over the past five years.

Council head of planning and development David Littlejohn told the committee the data was based on those paying business rates because you have to pay business rates if renting out a property for more than 70 nights a year.

The data showed the number of self-catering units in Perth and Kinross had risen from 843 in 2017 to 1054 in 2021.

The table also listed 1,014 Airbnb lets listed in 2021 but this appeared to be separate from the overall figure.

Conservative councillor Frank Smith asked how many short-term lets there were in Perth and Kinross and was told by officers: “We don’t know.”

Convener Andrew Parrott tabled a motion to proceed with the consultation.

This was seconded by Highland Perthshire Bailie Mike Williamson who saw it as “moving away from destination promotion to destination management”.

Conservative Carse of Gowrie councillor Angus Forbes tabled an amendment calling for a delay until after October 1, 2023 which is the deadline for when all short-term let licence applications have to be made.

He said: “This document is bursting at the seams with data – data that’s very complex and difficult for lay people like us to understand. What it’s lacking in my opinion is hard evidence.

“We don’t know how many short-term lets there are in Perth and Kinross. We don’t know how many houses this will bring back to the affordable housing market.

“We don’t even know how many houses have been sold in the proposed control area and what the average price was.

“No one denies there is a shortage of housing but this document doesn’t tell us if the problem lies with the short-term let market – my feeling is that it doesn’t.

“I am at a loss as to why the administration didn’t leave this until at least October when we will have more accurate data.”

Councillors voted by eight votes to seven to carry out the consultation.

AMENDMENT: Councillor Angus Forbes wanted the consultation start date delayed.