The planning rules around short term lets, holiday homes and Airbnb rentals are up for discussion as part of a new consultation launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
These proposals would introduce the requirement for planning permission for an existing home to be converted and used as a short term let in tourist hot spots in order to ease housing problems.
Why has the consultation been launched?
The Government has launched this consultation as a way of supporting local people in areas where high numbers of holiday lets are preventing them from finding affordable housing.
In the government’s press release regarding the launch of this consultation it said: “The Government wants to ensure the country reaps the benefits of diverse and sustainable accommodation and support the visitor economy, while also protecting local communities and ensuring the availability of affordable housing to rent or buy”.
The consultation which has been launched and will be open until 7 June 2023, seeks views on:
- The introduction of a short-term let use class
- The introduction of new permitted development rights to provide flexibility where short term lets are not a local issue, and which allows for this flexibility to be removed where these is a local concern
- How homeowners might be provided with flexibility to let out their sole or main home for up to 30, 60 or 90 nights in a calendar year.
Who would be affected by these planning proposals?
Owners of short term lets, holiday homes and Airbnb rentals within certain local authorities in England, which are not used as a sole or main home, would be affected should this new use class order become law.
Under the consultation there may be a rental period (expected to be between 30 and 90 days) before a homeowner would need to apply for planning permission to change the property’s primary use.
If a local authority deems that tourism and housing supply is not a issue for them then they can chose not to implement these planning controls and therefore short term lets within that area would not be impacted.
Hotels, hostels and B&Bs would not be affected.
It has not be stated which areas these proposals would be immediately introduced to however, the areas that have been referred to by Ministers in press releases, ministerial statements and interviews include Cornwall, Devon, Lake District and Norfolk.
What next?
The consultation will run until 7th June 2023.
Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the planning changes would be introduced through secondary legislation later this year and would only apply to local authorities in England.
You can have your say by taking part in the consultation but this must be done before 7th June 2023.