Scottish Government announces Edinburgh as first short–term let control area

Article summary

The Scottish Government has announced that, following approval by the City of Edinburgh Council of the necessary change to planning requirements, Edinburgh will become Scotland’s first designated short-term let control area. Planning permission will now be required for Edinburgh’s short-term let conversions. The measure is designed to help maintain the availability of long-term residential housing in Edinburgh. The control area aims to preserve the character of neighbourhoods, prevent short-term lets in inappropriate types of buildings or places, and help to ensure that homes are used to their best effect. With a few exceptions, changing the use of an entire residential home in the city to short-term letting will automatically require planning permission. The control area covers the entire City of Edinburgh Council area. Where a dwellinghouse is in a control area, a change of use to secondary letting will always require planning permission unless the exceptions set out in legislation apply. Where the change of a dwellinghouse...