Short term lets ruling

The Planning Convener's response to the ruling from the court of session on short term lets.

Court ruling

Cllr James Dalgleish, Planning Convener, said:

We acknowledge today’s judgement and will now consider our next steps in more detail.

We introduced the short term let (STL) control area to help us manage the number and location of STLs across the city. We continue to face uniquely difficult housing pressures with a small but densely populated city centre and fast growing population across the city as a whole.

We have to strike the right balance between promoting our visitor economy while looking after our residents who live here all year round and, having just announced a housing emergency, it’s more important than ever that we find ways of bringing homes back into residential use.

It’s important to point out that, following today’s ruling, residential properties that began being used as STLs after the control area came into force on 5 September 2022 still require planning permission. Those that began before that date may still need it and will be considered on a case by case basis.

Published: December 1st 2023