Appendix 10 - Objection (MacIntyre)
Perth and Kinross Council · 11 August 2025
Back to Licensing Committee — 11 August 2025 and its agenda
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Licensing Legal and Governance Perth and Kinross Council Pullar House 35 Kinnoull Street Perth PH1 5GD 27/05/2025 PKC Short-Term Let Licence Application ID: 2271 UPRN: 124112461 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally object to the above application for a Short-Term Let (STL) licence at: Schiehallion House, Aldcharmaig, PH16 5NT, located on the north shore of Loch Tummel. This objection is submitted on the basis of: • NPF4 Policy 30(e) of the National Planning Framework 4, • The relevant provisions of the Perth & Kinross Local Development Plan (2019), and • The STL licensing criteria under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. 1. Planning History and Policy 30(e)(ii) – Loss of Residential Accommodation This property was only recently completed, having been granted consent in 2019 under planning reference 18/01875/FLL for the erection of a dwellinghouse, not for a commercial STL business. To immediately seek change of use upon completion to a commercial short-term let is contrary to both the letter and spirit of the original consent. Under NPF4 Policy 30(e)(ii), short-term letting of existing buildings should not result in the loss of residential accommodation unless justified by demonstrable local economic benefit. In this case, the economic impact is likely to be minimal and certainly does not outweigh the permanent loss of a newly completed residential home. This proposal therefore clearly fails to satisfy this limb of the policy.
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2. NPF4 Policy 30(e)(i) – Unacceptable Impact on Amenity and Character The proposed use is materially different from a private dwelling in terms of: • Frequency and turnover of occupants, • Expectation of “holiday behaviour” (often louder and more sociable), and • The intensification of activity, particularly during evenings and weekends. A 10-person short-term rental property introduces high turnover, high occupancy social activity, and more intensive, unpredictable use than a permanent home. This is incompatible with the quiet, rural, residential character of the surrounding area. Furthermore, the scale and commercial intent of the short-term let are incompatible with the residential character of the surrounding area, where existing properties are primarily long-term family homes or used as occasional second homes without commercial turnover. The scale and visual dominance of the property are already highly prominent from across the loch. This is not a modest residence - it is a multi-level, mansion- scale structure with an expansive loch frontage. The building is already a stark and visually jarring imposition on the landscape - even before any consideration of intensified commercial usage adding further to nuisance from noise, light, and potential for water-based activity. 3. Waterfront Access, Lochside Use and Intensification The property includes direct loch access via a private pier or jetty, which creates scope for motorised leisure activity on a body of water where such use is currently rare and low-impact. Loch Tummel is known for its peaceful environment, used primarily for passive recreation with longstanding riparion owner agreement on restriction of motorised activity. The introduction of short-term guests - particularly large, transient groups with no long-term stake in the community and who may not be aware of local norms - brings a risk of amplified disturbance, both on land and on the water. Potential noise from jet skis, motor-boats, or shoreline activity would further undermine the natural character of the loch and increase disruption to nearby residents.
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4. Sound and Light Amplification Across Water Scientific research confirms that sound travels much more efficiently over water than over land, especially in calm conditions. Local experience supports this - at a distance of just 0.58 miles (0.93 km) across open water to the residential settlement at Foss, everyday noise - such as music or conversation - is already clearly audible on the opposing shore on a calm day. Residents on the south shore routinely hear activity the north shoreline with unexpected clarity, even under normal use. The house is also highly illuminated at night, and its three-tiered elevation means artificial lighting is reflected off the loch, increasing it’s visual impact after dark, effectively creating the appearance of a six-tiered building. This is particularly harmful given the setting within a National Scenic Area, where natural darkness is part of the protected character. These effects are not hypothetical - they are already being experienced. A change of use to commercial activity risks intensifying these disturbances, with greater frequency and less predictability. 5. Licensing Grounds – Nuisance The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 allows licensing authorities to refuse an STL application where the use is likely to cause nuisance to neighbours or the public. The evidence of amplified sound across water, persistent light intrusion / refelction, social holiday use, and lochside activity intensification by transient visitors pose an unacceptable risk of nuisance and all support refusal of the license on these grounds. Conclusion This application: 1. Fails NPF4 Policy 30(e)(ii): unjustified loss of a newly built residential home; 2. Fails NPF Policy 30(e)(i): introduces an unacceptable impact on amenity, tranquillity, and landscape character; 3. Meets the definition of potential nuisance under STL licensing legislation.
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In summary, it is difficult to see how such a prominent, large-scale, lochside holiday rental can be reconciled with either planning or licensing objectives for sustainable, respectful development in scenic, rural Scotland. I therefore respectfully ask the licensing authority to consider the strong case for refusal of this application. Yours faithfully, Andrew Macintyre Foss Home Farm Pitlochry Perth & Kinross PH16 5NQ