Short-Term Let Control Area Proposal for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh
Garve and District Community Council
Added at 12:57 on 13 November 2025
At the 3rd November 2025 meeting of the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Area Committee, Councillors heard a detailed presentation from Meadhbh Maguire, Principal Planner with The Highland Council’s Development Plans Team, on the proposal to consider a Short-Term Let Control Area for the region.
The discussion focused on housing pressures linked to the growth of short-term lets, how a control area would operate, and what this could mean for local residents, crofters, and the tourism economy.
Below is a summary of the presentation and the questions raised by members, along with the full report and a link to the meeting recording so that the discussion can be heard in full.
The presentation begins at about 26 minutes into the meeting recording – which can be fast forwarded to the correct spot!
Meeting: Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Area Committee
Date: 3 November 2025
Agenda Item: Short-Term Let (STL) Control Area Proposal for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh
Presenter: Meadhbh Maguire, Principal Planner – Development Plans Team
Chair: Cllr Liz Kraft
Members Present: Cllr Biz Campbell, Cllr Patrick Logue
Overview
Meadhbh Maguire presented an update on the proposed establishment of a Short-Term Let (STL) Control Area within Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh. The presentation outlined the policy background, current data analysis, process for implementation, and the justification for progressing with formal consultation.
Key Policy Context
A Short-Term Let Control Area would mean that future conversions of residential properties to short-term holiday lets must obtain planning permission.
This measure is not a ban; it only ensures that each new conversion is assessed under existing planning policies — specifically Policy 30(e) of NPF4 and the Highland Council’s Short-Term Let Control Policy.
The policy does not apply retrospectively. Existing short-term lets will not need planning permission unless they make further changes of use.
Exemptions include second homes, guest houses, B&Bs, annexes and pods, since the latter already require planning permission as new structures.
Implementation Process
The designation process for a control area involves notification, public consultation, and submission to Scottish Ministers for approval.
The Environment and Infrastructure Committee (ENI) will oversee the formal consultation and subsequent decisions.
Area Committees, including Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, are currently asked whether to support progressing to the next stage.
If approved, the process from initiation to implementation is expected to take 12–18 months.
Evidence and Data Analysis
Housing Need and Demand
A Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) has been undertaken, analysing the local housing market over a 10–20 year period.
Data from around 18,000 sales transactions across Highland was used to identify market characteristics within the region’s ten housing market areas.
The Wester Ross and Lochalsh area crosses two of these markets: Ross and Cromarty West and Skye and Lochalsh.
Containment and Market Pressures
Containment rates (where buyers already live within the area) are relatively low:
Only 26% of Ross and Cromarty West house buyers already lived there.
A high proportion of purchasers come from outside the Highland Council area, including elsewhere in Scotland, the UK, and abroad.
This trend indicates significant external demand, driving house price inflation and reducing local affordability.
Market entry prices in both housing areas are above the Highland average, with an estimated 71% of local residents unable to afford homes at current market rates (based on a 15% deposit and 3–3.5x income multiple).
Short-Term Let Prevalence
Ross and Cromarty West: 12% of dwellings are registered as short-term lets – double the Highland average.
Skye and Lochalsh: 18%, showing similar pressure patterns.
Around 11% of new-build homes over the past five years have been converted into short-term lets (compared with 5% Highland-wide).
Most short-term lets are detached dwellings that could otherwise serve as permanent homes.
Geographic Patterns
Several communities within the western and Lochalsh areas show more than 10–15% of potential dwellings converted to short-term lets – statistically above normal levels.
Areas such as Shieldaig and parts north of Ullapool towards Achnasheen and beyond show both high existing concentrations and continued growth of short-term lets.
Community and Local Place Plan Input
Four registered Local Place Plans (LPPs) were reviewed — Gairloch, Garve and District, Lochalsh, and Torridon & Kinlochewe.
Findings:
Gairloch: Expressed explicit concerns about short-term lets and linked them to local housing shortages.
Garve & District: No specific call for a control area but acknowledged tourism as a major local industry.
Lochalsh: Focused on visitor facilities rather than short-term let control.
Torridon & Kinlochewe: Highlighted the housing crisis, the prevalence of second and holiday homes, and the inflationary effect on prices.
Two further notified but unregistered plans did not mention short-term lets.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Based on available evidence, there is a strong justification for further consideration of a Short-Term Let Control Area in Wester Ross and Lochalsh.
The evidence demonstrates clear housing affordability pressures, high external ownership, and above-average concentrations of short-term lets compared with the wider Highland region.
The next step would be to instruct a formal consultation, gathering public feedback to inform an evidence-based submission to Scottish Ministers.
Maguire emphasised that the area’s tourism economy remains vital and can continue to benefit from purpose-built tourist accommodation (pods, chalets, and holiday developments) without eroding local housing supply.
Next Steps
Area Committee members were invited to:
Note the presented evidence.
Support progression to formal consultation.
Acknowledge that the ENI Committee will lead subsequent decision-making stages.
Questions and Discussion in brief that followed.
Cllr Biz Campbell
Cllr Campbell began by noting that the Plockton Trust and local community had been advocating for a Short-Term Let Control Area for over two years and had recently written to reaffirm their support. She asked what weight public opinion would have during the forthcoming consultation.
Response – Meadhbh:
Meadhbh explained that the public consultation would be accompanied by a clear statement of reasons and supporting evidence so that communities understood the proposal’s basis. She referred to Perth and Kinross Council’s recent consultation as an example, highlighting features such as postcode maps and defined boundaries to help residents identify affected areas.
She stressed the importance of communicating that the policy would not apply retrospectively and would not affect existing operators.
Regarding the weight of public feedback, she said the ideal outcome would see public opinion align with empirical evidence, although that is not always the case. A summary report would later be presented to the Economy and Infrastructure Committee (ENI), analysing feedback by sector (businesses, community groups, residents) to ensure balanced decision-making.
Cllr Campbell also asked about property sales where a local house was sold to an incoming key worker or new resident.
Response – Meadhbh:
Meadhbh confirmed that ordinary property purchases for permanent residence or rental were unaffected. The control area only regulates secondary letting—the conversion of homes to short-term lets.
She clarified that existing short-term lets would not be required to reapply for permission and that the policy could help prevent further loss of housing stock while clarifying issues of over-provision, which licensing alone cannot control.
Cllr Patrick Logue
Cllr Logue sought clarification on several points:
Committee role and process: He confirmed that the Area Committee’s meeting was the only opportunity to influence whether the process proceeds, as subsequent decisions would be taken by ENI.
Geographic scope: He asked whether the Committee could decide to cover only part of the ward (e.g. Plockton) rather than the whole area.
Evidence balance: He queried Meadhbh’s phrasing “on balance the evidence indicates…” and asked how strong that evidence actually was.
Timeline and flexibility: He questioned what would happen if a future committee decided to withdraw from the process.
Responses – Meadhbh:
On geography, Meadhbh advised that the Committee could amend its recommendation to specify “all or part” of the area. However, she cautioned that setting too narrow a boundary risked displacement, with applications or conversions simply shifting just outside the control zone.
On evidence, she explained that the area shows stronger indicators of housing pressure and short-term let prevalence than Badenoch and Strathspey, which already has a control area in place. The phrase “on balance” reflected a comparative and cautious approach, not uncertainty.
On process, she outlined that should ENI authorise consultation in February 2026, the exercise would run for a minimum of 28 days (possibly two months). After that, ENI could decide not to proceed, and even following Scottish Government approval, the Council could still choose not to implement.
Cllr Liz Kraft (Chair)
Cllr Kraft praised the strength and clarity of the report, saying it confirmed what communities had long felt about the loss of housing stock. She described it as “one of the most powerful reports” she had seen.
She supported proceeding with the entire Wester Ross and Lochalsh area, noting the risk of displacement if only part were included. She also referred to positive reports from Badenoch and Strathspey, where early evidence suggested that implementation of a control area had lowered house prices and increased availability.
Cllr Kraft then raised a question on crofting, noting that many crofters had diversified into tourism with short-term lets and might fear being penalised despite previous encouragement from government.
Response – Meadhbh:
Meadhbh acknowledged that crofting and planning legislation have never aligned perfectly. However, she clarified that the policy would not disadvantage crofters in most cases because:
Purpose-built tourism accommodation (pods, chalets, holiday cabins) already requires planning permission, so no change occurs.
Conversions of derelict or long-term empty structures (e.g. steadings) would normally be supported under policy.
Only the conversion of an existing dwelling house to a short-term let could require permission, but that would typically conflict with croft residency requirements anyway.
She added that any new control area could lead to a review of policy wording to ensure fair treatment of crofting situations.
Cllr Campbell followed up, emphasising that tourism remains the main source of employment in the region and cautioning that croft diversification must continue to be supported.
Response – Meadhbh:
Meadhbh agreed, reiterating that the policy aimed to balance housing needs with tourism growth, not restrict tourism. Purpose-built accommodation would continue to be supported through normal planning channels, helping sustain the visitor economy without eroding housing for local workers.
Cllr Campbell expressed concern about “directing everyone into pods,” saying tourists expect quality accommodation.
Response – Meadhbh:
She clarified that her reference to “pods” included a wide range of purpose-built accommodation, such as modern holiday homes and chalets, not just small cabins. These developments continue to receive planning approval and provide suitable options for tourists.
Finally, Cllr Logue asked whether there would be a uniform Highland-wide policy or area-specific variations.
Response – Meadhbh:
Each Area Committee is currently considering its own evidence base. The existing policy was originally written for Ward 20 (Badenoch and Strathspey) and could be reviewed and adapted for other areas through a separate process if necessary.
2. Decision and Outcome
After discussion, the Committee agreed unanimously without amendments to:
Note the evidence demonstrating significant housing market pressure within Wester Ross and Lochalsh, caused by high conversion rates of dwellings to short-term lets.
Acknowledge that any new control area would not affect existing short-term lets and would only apply to future conversions.
Support progressing with the process of considering the introduction of a Short-Term Let Control Area covering all or part of Wester Ross and Lochalsh, thereby enabling local communities to participate fully in the forthcoming consultation.
Agree informally that the intention was to include the whole ward, given the shared housing pressures and risk of displacement.