Holiday guests faced with 10pm garden curfew after noise concerns at Auchterarder short term let

Councillors have conditioned a 10pm curfew for holiday guests to enjoy a chat in a suburban garden.

Applicants Anneke Kirkaldy-Matthee and Duthie Kirkaldy sought short-term let licences for their two properties in Auchterarder.

But neighbours Fraser Grant and Richard Davidson who live next door to one of the properties objected over concerns about noise.

The properties – Douglaslea and The Bothy – are detached. The Bothy can accommodate two guests and Douglaslea four. The Bothy is situated behind the property next door to Douglaslea on the other side of Douglaslea from the objectors’ Townhead home.

However Mr Grant and Mr Davidson raised concerns about guests gathering together in the garden and causing a disturbance.

Due to the objection, the application came before Perth and Kinross Council’s Licensing Committee on Monday, April 17.

Objector Fraser Grant told the committee: “We have lived in this property for five years and over the past five years the property next door to us has had a long-term lease so we have been used to tenants and had the privilege of having relationships with them as they’ve enjoyed property.”

He said they were worried granting a short-term let licence might attract hen weekends or groups of friends creating “potential noise and nuisance” particularly in the garden.

Mr Grant said it was a “suburban garden” and added: “The patio is literally one metre from my bedroom window. Quite often during the summer months when people are outside and enjoying the space, we can literally hear the conversations.”

He added: “While it’s a long-term let we build relationships with those people and come to a mutual understanding. The worry is if it’s short-term lets we’re not going to have the opportunity to do so and actually people could be out drinking through the evening and into the night which could have considerable frustration for ourselves.”

He expressed concern over the owners’ ability to deal with issues due to them living abroad.

Mr Grant said: “If there was the opportunity to have some sort of a formal curfew the problem with such an arrangement is it’s simply not going to be enforceable due to the fact the owners are not going to be nearby.”

The applicants’ solicitor Joanna Miller told the committee both properties had operated as short-term lets.

The committee was told recently there were spells where people stayed at Douglaslea longer – such as over Covid and when the applicants’ friends stayed there – before it then reverted back to short-term lets.

The applicant’s lawyer said: “My clients have already operated both these properties as short-term lets. There isn’t going to be any change to the operation.”

Ms Miller added: “The reason they don’t want to let this out on a long-term let is because they want to be able to come and stay in the property.”

She said it allowed the couple – now retired – to use both properties with their family.

The lawyer added: “The applicants are very responsible people. They have indicated they have no issue giving the objectors their own contact details in order that the objectors can contact them at any time if there is an issue.”

Convener Mike Williamson tabled a motion to grant the licences with the condition of a 10pm garden curfew for both properties. Councillor Willie Robertson seconded.

Bailie Chris Ahern put forward an amendment to grand the licences with no conditions. This was seconded by councillor David Illingworth.

The committee voted by six votes to four to grant the licences subject to a curfew. It will now be added to the terms and conditions of the short-term rental agreements of both properties.