New restrictions on converting residential properties into holiday lets will come into force across large parts of the Highlands on 1 April 2027, following a decision by Highland Council.
Councillors have agreed to introduce two Short Term Let Control Areas covering Inverness and extensive rural communities, giving planning authorities greater oversight of properties being removed from the residential housing market.
The decision was confirmed at Thursday’s meeting of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, following approval from Scottish Ministers and a public consultation that attracted more than 800 responses.
The new arrangements are intended to address concerns about the availability of permanent housing in communities where holiday accommodation plays a significant role in the local economy.
Under the changes, property owners wishing to convert residential homes into secondary short term lets within the designated areas will be required to obtain planning permission.
Importantly, the measures will not apply retrospectively, meaning existing operators can continue under current arrangements unless planning permission was already required under existing legislation.
The Inverness City control area will cover Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness Side and Inverness Millburn, alongside parts of Inverness South including Westhill, Milton of Leys and Slackbuie.
A much larger Highland Rural control area will cover Lochaber, Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, Sutherland, Skye and Raasay, and Aird and Loch Ness.
It will also include parts of Inverness South, including Tomatin and Daviot, bringing popular tourism destinations and smaller communities within the new planning arrangements.
Badenoch and Strathspey already has an established Short Term Let Control Area.
The Council says the purpose of the new designations is to protect housing availability while recognising the importance of tourism to the Highland economy.
Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee Councillor Ken Gowans said:
“A Statutory Notice of Designation will now be published to confirm a commencement date of 1 April 2027.
“This will allow the Council to prepare appropriately for the change.
“STLCAs will help us strike a better balance between supporting tourism growth and protecting much-needed housing for local people.
“The introduction of STLCAs is not about stopping short-term lets, but about ensuring the future conversion of residential homes to short-term lets are properly considered through the planning system.”
Public consultation took place over six weeks during May and June, gathering views from residents, businesses, community organisations and holiday let operators.
According to the Council, 84 per cent of residents and businesses responding supported the Inverness City proposal, while 72 per cent backed the Highland Rural arrangements.
However, those figures reflect consultation responses rather than a representative vote of everyone living or operating businesses in the affected areas.
For homeowners considering entering the holiday accommodation market, the change means planning requirements will become an important consideration before converting an existing residential property.
The new controls do not amount to a ban on holiday letting, nor do they automatically require established operators to close.
Instead, they provide an additional planning process through which the Council can consider the potential loss of residential housing before future conversions take place.
A statutory notice will now be published ahead of the April commencement date, giving property owners and businesses time to prepare for the new requirements.
