Skye and Raasay could face new controls on holiday lets under Highland Council plans

People are being asked for their views on plans to introduce new controls on short-term holiday lets across parts of the Highlands.

Highland Council has opened a six week consultation on proposals for two Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCAs), including one covering Skye and Raasay, Lochalsh, Lochaber, Wester Ross and Sutherland.

If approved, homeowners would need planning permission before changing a residential property into a secondary short-term let, such as an Airbnb, where the owner does not normally live in the property.

The council said the move was aimed at balancing tourism with increasing pressure on local housing.

Figures released as part of the consultation show that 13.6% of homes sold in Skye and Lochalsh between 2019 and 2024 were later converted into short-term lets.

Highland Council also said more than 38% of homes sold across the proposed rural control area during the same period were bought by people from outside the Highlands.

Portree has the highest concentration of anywhere in the Highlands, with more then 30% of homes operating as licensed short-term lets as of July 2025.

The authority said housing pressure in rural communities is contributing to wider issues including depopulation and falling school rolls.

Council convener Bill Lobban said tourism remained “vital” to the Highland economy and stressed the proposals would not amount to a ban on holiday lets.

He said: “What they allow us to do is balance tourism growth with local housing need by managing concentrations of short-term lets in areas where housing availability or neighbourhood amenity is adversely affected.”

The consultation runs until 23 June, with a drop in event due to take place in Portree on 25 May.

A separate proposed control area would cover parts of Inverness, where the council said large numbers of city centre flats had been converted into short-term accommodation.