A consultation on a planning permission requirement is under way, which ministers say will also consider giving owners flexibility to let their properties for a yet-unspecified period of time each year – potentially up to 90 days – without having to seek planning permission.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the proposals would give communities greater control over short-term letting in tourist hotspots, in turn helping residents find affordable housing to solve an acute housing crisis in heavily touristed areas.
However, the department stressed it recognised short-term lets, such as those offered by Airbnb, were now "a significant part of the UK’s visitor economy", providing increased choice and flexibility for tourists and business travellers during major sporting and cultural events.
The proposed changes to the UK’s planning regime would see a new planning use class created for short-term lets that are not a sole or main home, as well as new permitted development rights meaning planning permission will not be required in areas where local authorities choose not to use these planning controls.
"Both of these measures are focused on short term lets, and therefore the planning changes and the register will not impact on hotels, hostels or B&Bs," said the department.
"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," it added.
Secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, Michael Gove, said: "Tourism brings many benefits to our economy, but in too many communities, we have seen local people pushed out of cherished towns, cities and villages by huge numbers of short-term lets."
The consultation will run in parallel with a separate consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on introducing a new registration scheme for short-term lets, which the DCMS says is designed to "build a picture of how many short-term lets there are and where they are located, to help understand the impact of short-term lets on communities".
