Planning Permission and short term holiday lets

Do you need Planning Permission for your short-term holiday let?

Under government reforms, councils will be given greater power to control short-term lets such as Airbnb’s by making them subject to the planning process.

The new legislation due to come into force this summer, will introduce a mandatory national register of holiday homes which will allow Council’s to understand the extent of short-term lets in their area, the effects on their communities, and underpin compliance with key health and safety regulations.

Short-term lets are now a significant part of the UK’s visitor economy, to recognise this, homeowners will still be able to let out their own main or sole home for up to 90 nights throughout a year without planning permission.

The proposed planning changes would see a new planning ‘use class’ created for short-term let’s not used as a sole or main home. Information released to date, indicates that existing dedicated short-term let’s will automatically be reclassified into the new use class and will not require a planning application.

The government also intends to introduce associated permitted development rights:

• Firstly, allowing for a property to be changed from a short-term let to a standard residential dwelling; and
• A second that would allow a property to be changed to a short-term let.

Local authorities would be able to remove these permissions and require full planning permission if they deem it necessary. Find out who your local Planning authority is here.

Both of these measures are focussed on short-term lets, and therefore the planning changes and the register will not affect hotels, hostels or B&Bs.

The changes are expected to be introduced from this summer.

Confused?

Contact us and seek the services of our RTPI accredited Town Planners to help guide you through the process and ensure you’re ready for the holiday season.