Lochaber could soon see tighter controls on short term lets after councillors unanimously agreed there is enough evidence to justify formal consultation on a Short Term Let Control Area.
The move comes after a detailed review showed Lochaber has almost double the Highland average of homes being used as short term lets, with some areas such as Fort William and Kinlochleven showing rapid growth.
The proposal, approved by the Lochaber Area Committee, will now move into a public consultation phase before any decision is made on implementation.
If introduced, the control area would mean that any future change of use from a dwellinghouse to a short term let would require planning permission, adding a new layer of oversight aimed at protecting local housing supply.
Existing short term lets would not be affected retrospectively.
Lochaber Area Committee Chair, Councillor Kate Willis, said the evidence presented to members painted a clear picture of the scale of the challenge.
“The Committee welcomes the clear evidence basis this report provides about the reality of short term lets in Lochaber,” she said.
“Tourism is a vital part of the Lochaber economy, supporting both seasonal and full-time employment.
“However, the committee noted that almost 10% of homes in the area are used for short term lets which is double the Highland average, a further 5% are empty homes and 4% second homes.
“Almost a quarter of currently available housing stock could be contributing to housing pressures and recruitment challenges in Lochaber.”
Councillor Willis added that members agreed to carefully consider the introduction of controls in key locations most affected, while still weighing up the economic value tourism brings.
Recent figures from the Highland Housing Need and Demand Assessment underline the scale of the issue.
The average house price in Lochaber now sits at £227,667, around £18,500 higher than the Highland average.
To afford this, a household would need an annual income of more than £60,000.
For first-time buyers, entry-level homes cost around £140,000, yet nearly half of local residents cannot meet the income threshold needed to buy one.
Almost 39% of homes sold in Lochaber are bought by people from outside the area, further fuelling affordability pressures.
The report also revealed that around 7% of new-build homes in Lochaber are being converted into short term lets, well above the Highland-wide rate of 5%.
Community concerns have been raised through several Local and Area Place Plans, all pointing to the same issue: that the rise in short term lets is making it harder for local people to find affordable homes.
If approved following consultation, the Lochaber control area would become one of the first in the Highlands, forming part of the wider Highland Housing Challenge.
It marks another step in the region’s effort to balance the needs of tourism with the right of residents to live and work locally.
