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

More grief ahead as reorganisation is plunged into chaos

By Heather Jameson | 11 September 2026

The chaos created by the reorganisation 'pause' as councils battle with their finances, rising pressures on services and residents, and a desperate need to c...

PLANNING

Behind the scenes of this week's reorganisation debacle

By Dan Peters | 10 September 2026

Dan Peters reports on how the reorganisation delay unfolded and the initial reaction from a shocked sector.

PLANNING

Future Forum Midlands: Civil servants dismiss timetable speculation for LGR review

By Paul Marinko | 10 September 2026

Council chiefs have revealed government officials have refused to give any clarity on when the review of local government reorganisation (LGR) will be comple...

PLANNING

Local government reorganisation is a crisis of trust

By Cllr Kevin Bentley | 10 September 2026

Cllr Kevin Bentley says the Government’s approach to reorganisation has damaged finances, trust and confidence within councils.

Popular articles by Mark Whitehead

-->