Planning Control Areas for short-term lets

Your local council can make some or all of their region a short-term let 'control area'. This means you need planning permission as a part of your licence to let out your whole accommodation in these areas.

Local councils with control areas

Two councils currently have short-term let control areas in place. They are:

• The City of Edinburgh Council which has a control area covering the whole council area
• Highland Council which has a control area covering Badenoch and Strathspey

Local councils without control areas

If your accommodation is not in a 'control area', and you do not have planning permission, you may still need this to apply for a short-term let licence. The licensing authority will tell you within 28 days of you applying if they consider use of your accommodation to be in breach of planning control.

You can check about the planning status before you apply for a licence. Speak to the local council planning department where your accommodation is located.