12/08/2026
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A key step in addressing one area of the Highland Housing Challenge was taken yesterday (Monday 10 August 2026), as the Area Committee agreed to recommend the area's inclusion within a proposed Highland Rural Short-Term Let Control Area (STLCA).
The recommendation follows a six-week public consultation held between May and June 2026.
Around 68% of individual Lochaber respondents to the public consultation were residents or businesses, while 28% were short-term let operators or prospective operators. Of all Lochaber respondents, 60% supported the proposal and 36% opposed it. Support is notably stronger among Lochaber residents and businesses, with 56 of 73 respondents (77%) in favour.
The Committee's recommendation will now be considered alongside the views of other Area Committees at The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee. The Committee will then decide whether to seek Scottish Ministers' approval to designate a Highland Rural Short-Term Let Control Area.
If approved, a Short-Term Let Control Area would not prohibit new short-term lets from being established entirely. Instead, planning permission would be required before a residential property could change from residential use to a secondary short-term let. Each application would be considered on its individual merits through the planning process. The proposal would not introduce a blanket ban on short-term lets and would not affect existing lawful operators. It also has no effect on purpose-built tourism accommodation, or other Short Term Lets that would have required planning permission in any event.
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