Latest / STR Unpacked / 49% Said No. It Passed Anyway.
Transcript
- Ben: Good morning and welcome to your short-term rental bulletin on the 4th of August. another one about Scotland today. So Highland Council's Westeros, Strifepefa and L'Occasci, the committee voted yesterday to recommend joining a new Highland short-term rental control area. The consultation behind it is I think really worth diving into. So among 98 respondents living in that ward 51 % backed it and 41 % opposed. Widing the sample and the answer depends on where you draw the line. Among all the 473 respondents living in the Highland Council area, 257 supported it and 190 opposed. And across the full 601 who answered, including operators based outside the Highlands entirely, 292 opposed and 273 supported. The real split isn't geographic, it's operational. Residents and businesses in the ward bracket backed it 68%. Resident operators opposed it 76%. Non-resident operators opposed it 92%. Officers say the quiet part out loud. Their report states the purpose of a consultation is not to determine which group forms a majority. It asked for an economic impact assessment and that the council's answer is one that is not a statutory requirement. Here's what operators actually need. A control area is not retrospective and does not touch existing lawful lets. But once in force, licensing has to take account of it. on any new or renewed licence inside the area. So you must evidence planning permission, evidence and application or evidence that you don't need one. The council runs a free development inquiry to establish that 89 were submitted during the consultation alone. Establish your planning status before the renewal date, not after it. That is your briefing. Thank you for watching and I'll see you tomorrow.