Short term let refusal gives Ayr campaigners first taste of victory

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Residents fighting the proliferation of short term lets have had their first taste of victory after councillors voted to refuse an application for a property at Citadel Quay.South Ayrshire Council has considered hundreds of short term lets (STLs) over the last year, following the introduction of a national licensing scheme.While existing STLs only required a license, new lets require planning approval for a change of use.Up until this week, no applications for licenses or planning permission had been refused, with 40 change of use applications granted since 2023, almost all by officers under delegated powers.None had been brought before councillors until Thursday, when two planning applications at Trenchard Court and Rowallan Court were considered.Campaigners Iain McKie and Lynn Carleton, who have represented many of the permanent residents of the flats at numerous licensing meetings, were joined by councillor Bob Shields, who reiterated the issues resulting from the proliferation of STLs in the area.Both applications saw objections from Fort, Seafield and Wallacetown Community Council.The first to be considered, at Trenchard Court, was slightly different from the usual applications as the applicant’s prime reason for the purchase of the flat was for a holiday home for her family, particularly her daughter who has autism.They claimed that the renting out of the property for short term lets was to pay for the upkeep of the flat, with the primary use as their own home.The Rowallan Court application was for a more traditional STL, but the applicant was not present to answer questions from the panel.Ayr West Independent councillor Bob Shields spoke on behalf of a number of objectors.He said: “Today, I ask you to also