Title

PLANNING

Short-term lets to need planning permission

The Government has announced new rules to give communities greater control over short-term lets in their areas.

The Government has announced new rules to give communities greater control over short-term lets in their areas.

A consultation by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities proposed introducing a requirement for planning permission to be gained for a home to be used as a short-term let.

It said this would help support local people in areas where high numbers of holiday lets are preventing them from finding affordable housing.

The new proposals come as the Department for Culture, Media & Sport launched a separate consultation on a new registration scheme for short-term lets, aimed at finding out how many there are and where they are located.

Local government secretary 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.

‘I'm determined we ensure more people have access to local homes at affordable prices and that we prioritise families desperate to rent or buy a home of their own close to where they work.'

PLANNING

Wandsworth's focus on outcomes per pound pays off

By Andrew Travers | 05 February 2026

Andrew Travers says Wandsworth’s place in the IMPOWER Top 10 is not an end in itself, but reinforces confidence in its outcomes per pound and ‘brilliant basi...

PLANNING

Suffolk CC does a lot of great work for relatively little public money

By Nicola Beach | 05 February 2026

Across the board, the IMPOWER Top 10 Index shows that Suffolk CC scores well, says Nicola Beach.

PLANNING

The Top 10 councils powering ahead on productivity

By Ann McGauran | 05 February 2026

Local government’s leadership may be dealing with a maelstrom of challenges, but the councils whose productivity performance has earned them a place in the I...

PLANNING

Lessons in tourism levies

By Martin Ford | 05 February 2026

Powers to implement visitor levies will soon be available in all corners of the country. Martin Ford looks at the story so far and what England can learn fro...

Popular articles by Mark Whitehead