Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason planning permission is required for obtaining a short-term lets licence for flats, but not houses.
In a control area, change of use of a dwellinghouse, which is not a host's only or principal home, to provide short-term lets will always require planning permission. This applies to both houses and flats. In a control area, it is a mandatory condition of licence that planning permission has been obtained or an application is in progress.
Outwith a control area, planning permission may be required where local planning authorities determine a proposed change of use is material, on a case-by-case basis.
In all cases, each planning application will be determined on its individual planning merits in line with local development plan and policies unless there are material planning considerations that would justify a departure from the development plan.