Elected Member Briefing - Consultation on proposed short term let control area

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Serge Merone, Strategic Lead, Economy, Development & Planning

EMBN Number: 140-25 

Date: 28 October 2025 

Subject: Consultation on proposed short term let control area

Details

Purpose

The purpose of this briefing is to provide an update on proposals to introduce a short term let control area in Perth and Kinross.

Briefing Information

As you will be aware, at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council on 7 May 2025, members agreed to proceed with the notice of a proposal for the designation of a short term let (STL) control area for Highland Perthshire and northern part of the Eastern housing market areas.

The Scottish Government and local authorities have recognised the need to manage the number of commercial STLs to protect both the supply of homes to meet local housing need (including key workers) and the amenity of residential areas.

STL control area legislation was introduced in April 2021, permitting local authorities, as the planning authority, to establish control areas. Highland and the northern part of Eastern Perthshire have higher concentrations of holiday rentals than other parts of Perth and Kinross. This can reduce the availability of long-term rental housing and drive property prices up, making it harder for local residents to find homes.

The control area proposal would allow a balance to be struck between the provision of homes for local people and allowing the valued tourism industry in the area to continue to flourish.

If the proposal goes ahead, it will mean anyone wishing to turn a house into a new holiday let in the two areas would require planning permission before doing so. This would bring these types of property into line with flats and apartments, which already require planning permission before conversion into holiday lets.

Since the introduction of this legislation, two such Control Areas have been established in Scotland: across the entire City of Edinburgh Council area (Sept 2022) and the Badenoch & Strathspey ward of the Highland Council area (March 2024).

Perth and Kinross proposal

A proposal for the control area has now been brought forward which we will consult the public on. You can view a map of the proposed STL area.

A public consultation will run on the Council's Consultation Hub from 17 October to 12 December 2025. The statutory process includes this formal consultation period. The responses will be reported back to the Council for their consideration in 2026.  Any short-term let control area must ultimately be approved by Scottish Ministers.

To encourage participation in the consultation process we will be contacting stakeholders including local tourism organisations, community councils and other interested parties directly, asking them to take part.

We will also run a campaign using the Council's communication channels to gather wider opinion.