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

Total Place requires total trust

By Lisa McNally | 09 February 2026

Councils can expand the Total Place ethos by joining up often fragmented policies and programmes, says Lisa McNally. She sets out how place-based working is ...

PLANNING

Compensation for business rates funding flaw

By Martin Ford | 09 February 2026

Councils affected by controversial changes to funding will be compensated, ministers have announced.

PLANNING

This is a pivotal moment to influence the future direction of care and support

By Louise Gittins | 09 February 2026

Over the coming months, the LGA's constructive conversation and engagement responses will shape the organisation's input to the independent commission into t...

PLANNING

Prevention first: Why food insecurity must be addressed before crisis hits

By Vic Harper | 09 February 2026

Prevention is the only way to reduce the hardship caused by food insecurity at scale and support long term stability, says Vic Harper.

Popular articles by Mark Whitehead