The Highland Council has taken its first step toward introducing tighter controls on short term lets across Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.
At a meeting on Monday, councillors agreed to begin the process of considering a Short Term Let Control Area that could cover all or part of the region.
The move follows growing concern that high numbers of short term lets are adding pressure to the local housing market, driving up prices and reducing availability for local residents.
By progressing to the next stage, the Council will gather further evidence and invite communities to take part in a full public consultation before any formal designation is made.
A report presented to the area committee concluded that “on balance, the evidence at this time indicates that the establishment of a Short Term Let Control Area may be justified in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.”
Committee members agreed to note the findings, which highlight that parts of the area are facing significant housing pressure linked to conversions of homes into short term lets.
They also confirmed that any potential new control area would not apply retrospectively, meaning existing short term lets would continue unaffected, unless a material change of use was identified.
If approved by the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, the process would begin formally, triggering a programme of community engagement and evidence gathering.
Co-chair of the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Committee, Councillor Biz Campbell, said the decision reflected a growing need to look more closely at the balance between tourism and local housing.
“We feel that this is worth taking a closer look now, because the overall indicators suggest that in general, both the Ross and Cromarty West and Skye and Lochalsh Housing Market Areas are less affordable and have higher rates of STLs and second homes than Highland as a whole,” she said.
Figures show that six per cent of potential dwellings across the Highlands are currently licensed as short term lets. In Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, the rates are much higher, 11 per cent in Ross and Cromarty West, and 17 per cent in Skye and Lochalsh.
Of 220 new homes built in the area over the past five years, 25 are now licensed as short term lets, accounting for more than 11 per cent of recent completions.
The Council also noted that a high proportion of property sales in the area are to buyers from outside the Highlands, Scotland, and even the UK, a sign that external demand may be distorting local housing markets.
For now, the move signals intent rather than immediate regulation, but it’s clear that Highland Council is preparing to take a closer look at how short term letting is reshaping communities across Wester Ross and beyond.
