Airbnb hosts to need planning permission to turn homes into short-term holiday lets

Plans aim to stop residents being ‘pushed out of cherished towns’

Converting homes into short-term holiday lets would require planning permission under government plans to stop residents being “pushed out of cherished towns”.

The government has said it will consult on the change and on another proposal for a registration scheme for short-term holiday lets.

Airbnb welcomed the government taking forward its plans for the register, but said it wanted to ensure any changes to the planning system “strike a balance between protecting housing and supporting everyday families who let their space to help afford their home and keep pace with rising living costs”.