Proposal for Airbnb owners to apply for planning permission

Airbnb owners in Edinburgh could be required to apply for planning permission, under new changes being mulled by the city council.

A consultation will begin next month to consider whether Edinburgh should be designated as a short-term let (STL) control area.

The change, which would need to be approved by the Scottish Government, is aimed at allowing Edinburgh City Council to manage the number of short-term lets in the city.

It would mean that properties being let out in those areas would automatically require to have ‘change of use’ planning permission in place.

The council has however stated that the designation will not be a “blanket ban”, but will bring the change of use of all dwellings to short-term lets within planning control.

It will not impact on the letting out of rooms or entire property lets where the property is the principal home of the host and the host is absent.

Councillor Neil Gardiner, convener of the council’s planning committee, said that the consultation feedback will be looked a carefully before the proposal is finalised.

“Last year we welcomed that our call for new Scottish Government legislation to control STLs was successful,” he said.
“If the proposals are approved by the Planning Committee, we’ll be in a position where we can push forward and ask our residents, the industry and other interested groups, for their views on making the whole of Edinburgh a STL control area.
“We’ll be looking carefully at this feedback before the proposal is finalised as the impact of STLs can be felt in communities across Edinburgh.
“If the Scottish Government approve the whole city as a STL control zone, we’ll be able to manage the number of STLs in the city as properties being let out in these areas would automatically require to have ‘change of use’ planning permission in place.”