Council asks for new city-wide powers to control short term lets

A proposal to ask the Scottish government to designate Edinburgh as a short term let (STL) control area has been approved by the Council.

If the government agrees with this approach, residential property owners wholly letting a property as an STL, which is not their principal home, would need to apply for planning permission for a ‘change of use’.

The introduction of powers to create a control area follows the Council calling for new legislation to tighten up the control of STLs to help manage high concentrations of secondary letting where it affects the availability of residential housing or the character of a neighbourhood.

Residents would still be able to rent out rooms in their own homes or let out their homes while on holiday if Edinburgh became a STL control area.

Cllr Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener at Edinburgh City Council, said: ‘Around a third of STLs in Scotland are in Edinburgh. They’re in every council ward in the city with concentrations in some areas. So, today’s decision is great news for people across the city and I’m pleased committee unanimously got behind the proposal.

‘We worked hard calling for new legislation to help us have greater controls over STLs and we’re now in a position to move forward and ask government if the whole of the city can be zoned as a STL control area. If approved by government, these new powers for Edinburgh will provide the clarity we need where planning permission is required for a change of use. Just now, if it’s reported to us that a property has changed its use without planning permission, our enforcement team has to look at each case individually.  This is a very lengthy and time-consuming process.

‘The new short-term let control area would complement the new licensing legislation.  We also called for this and I’m pleased to see they will work tandem: you’ll need the right planning consent for your property when obtaining a licence.’

Cllr Maureen Child, Planning Vice-Convener, added: ‘We know short STLs are an issue for many of our residents across the city.

‘The report we considered today highlights the growing pressures of the STL commercial market, which requires a cross-city approach to regulations. With high concentrations in central areas, there are commercial STLs in every council ward in this city. And during our consultation the vast majority of you from across the city favoured a whole city approach. In some areas STLs have hollowed out communities, put more pressure on the housing market causing prices to rise, and created other issues such as anti-social behaviour and noise. So, I’m delighted we’re now asking for government approval to adopt this legislation for the whole of Edinburgh.’

Photo by Gabriele Stravinskaite