FOI request (FOIR-491425962)

Planning requirements for short term holiday lets / Airbnb and so on

Requested Mon 27 February 2023
Responded  Fri 03 March 2023

Please could you advise me as to any planning requirements for permission to operate a short term holiday let in your area. For example, properties and rooms that may appear on online portals such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and so on.

This is also often known as Serviced Accommodation. It is generally fully furnished rooms or properties with cooking facilities and so on.

It may be let out for a single night, or it could be let for a much longer period of time.

This question excludes aparthotels, hotels, hostels, bed and breakfast and similar properties clearly defined in the Use Class Order.

1. Which planning use class should the property be operating in? Should it be C1, C3 or Sui Generis for example? Or can it operate in more than one?

2. Is planning permission required if the property is not operating in that Use Class?

3. Does that Use Class change if a certain number of nights are occupied during the year? Or is planning permission required if a certain number of nights is exceeded per annum even if operating in the correct Use Class?

4. Does your answer vary if it is a full unit, such as a house or flat, as opposed to an annexe or a room or two within a C3 dwelling? If yes, how would the partial or full holiday let differ?

5. Are there any other rules that serviced accommodation or short stay holiday let providers advertising on Airbnb and so on, adhere to in addition to any number of nights per annum (question 3) within your area?

Response

There are no planning requirements set out in our Local Plan or other Local Policy documents.

If you wish to know if planning permission is required please submit query along with fee to planning@hastings.gov.uk. Fees can be found on our website at:

https://www.hastings.gov.uk/planning/