Highland Council is taking the next steps to decide if Short Term Let Control Areas should be introduced in two areas, one in a large rural area including Wester Ross and the other in Inverness city.
A report discussed by members of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee highlights that in rural communities, recent conversions of residential dwellings into Short Term Lets have removed significant proportions of housing stock, particularly in remote areas with limited new housebuilding activity.
The Committee’s decision, which needs to go to the next Highland Council meeting, will allow the Council to move forward with formal public consultation on the proposals and to invite communities, businesses and stakeholders to provide feedback. Details of this public consultation will be provided in due course.
Meantime, planning permission has been granted for the conversion of the upper floor of the former Mo Dhachaidh Care Home in Ullapool into seven one or two bedroom flats with allocated gardens and parking spaces.
The planning application submitted by Albyn Housing Society states that this will bring much needed accommodation into the area for key workers.
Loch Ewe Brewing Company has lodged a planning application for what it refers to as a tap room and eatery with space for 25 diners inside and 10 outside the annex of Poolewe Village Hall.
The application refers to the development as small scale, informal and community oriented, serving both residents and visitors and addressing a clear gap in local evening hospitality. Consultation on the application is open until 23rd February with a deadline for determination by the Council of 1st April.
In the SPFL Championship on Saturday, Ross County was beaten one nil at home by Queens Park and falls back to the bottom of the league one point behind Airdrieonians and two behind Queens Park which moves out of the possible relegation places into eighth place.
In League One, Inverness Caley Thistle beat Hamilton Academical one nil and is now five points clear at the top of the league ahead of its opponent next week, Stenhousemuir, which could only draw its match on Saturday.
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