Loch Ness area short-term lets approved by Highland Council despite protests
Three short term lets have been approved around Drumnadrochit despite local complaints of a community feeling “drastically impacted”.
Residents told councillors of “crumbling” roads and a “public safety concern” as they decided on a variety of short-term let applications.
However, councillors found it difficult to refuse the applications despite the issues.
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Local resident Rachel Nixseaman objected to an application in Milton. She said: “It has a massive negative societal impact on the community.
“Our access to services and community cohesion are being drastically impacted because of the sheer volume of short-term lets.”
She also complained the access road is “crumbling” and has caught a number of vehicles out.
Speaking to the applicant, she said: “You are being negligent with your property.”
The council were told fencing had to be removed to allow a Tesco delivery van through.
“It has to be used to get to the property and it is a public safety concern at this point,” she added.
Neighbours of a second property in Drumnadrochit, Vicky Millar and her husband also had concerns over bins and water supply.
She said: “The water is an issue… we do experience shortages of water in the summer.
“They are drawing water… people in holiday homes tend to have more than one shower a day.”
Mr and Mrs Millar, along with other complainants Mr and Mrs Jones, raised concerns on the size of the septic tank at the property not being able to support the number of visitors.
Owner Luke Tait said the property has been a short-term let before he bought it.
“The majority of the concerns raised by the objectors are actually more a communication issue than anything else,” he said.
“I wasn’t aware of the issue of delivery vans going to the property.”
Mr Tait said guests were told deliveries can only be picked up from the main road as soon as he was made aware of the issue.
Responding to the objector, Mr Tait added: “I wouldn’t say I’ve been negligent as such - I’ve just not been able to get people to work on the roads.”
Darren Breen, in response to the concerns relating to his property, said: “We plan to charge as much as possible and reduce the availability of the property.”
As a result, he argued the property would not be used for large parts of the year and was of little risk to the objector’s experience and facilities.
He added he was happy to reduce the capacity of the house to seven occupants in line with the capacity of the septic tank.
Mr Breen said: “I’m happy to do that. I’m not trying to make profit from this venture.
“I’m just trying to have a chance to live in Scotland and cover the mortgage. That’s it.”
“I don’t want to have any friction with neighbours, in fact, I want to get on as well as possible with all of you.”
The committee was repeatedly told many of the objections could not be taken into account when deciding on the applications.
However, licensing committee chair Sean Kennedy said: “Getting a licence today - it is only the start of the journey.
“It gives you a platform, if things start going wrong… you can make objections and complaints back to the local authority.
“The officers are then duty-bound to look at these complaints.
“If the conditions are not being met, that licence can be taken away at any time if the committee deem necessary.”
