Appendix 4 - Objection Mr & Mrs MacFarlane
Perth and Kinross Council · 3 November 2025
Back to Licensing Committee — 3 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 SPR STL From: samantha macfarlane Sent: 01 October 2025 22:06 To: SPR STL Subject: Objection to Short Term Let licence application Categories: OBJECTIONS/COMPLAINTS CAUTION: This email originated from an external organisation. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you have verified the sender and know the content is safe. Application ID 2339 ALLTMOR RETREAT LTD 1 Allt Mor Crescent Kinloch Rannoch PH16 5PJ Date of application 4th September 2025 To whom it may concern, We write to formally object to the short term let licence application for the above. The property already has an active website inviting enquiries, and is being marketed as a secluded and serene elegant Highland getaway. The house in question is a semi-detached three bedroomed ex-council house situated on a quiet residential street at the heart of the village. Kinloch Rannoch is small, and close knit. The proliferation of short term lets in our local area already risks eroding the strong sense of community long term residents have worked hard to foster. Our fear is that allowing yet another short term let - particularly one with a hot tub as a focal point for gatherings - will set a precedent that will accelerate the transformation of our village into a 'dormitory' community. Short term guests may not always share the same respect for local norms regarding noise and conduct, increasing the risk of anti-social behaviour and late-night disruption. Moreover, increasing numbers of short term let properties threaten the viability of essential local amenities such as the village school, GP surgery, bus service and village shop. As those who wish to live and work in the area year-round are priced out or displaced by the reduced supply of homes these services will face declining usage, putting their survival at risk. At the heart of our objection is the cumulative effect of approval of this application. We are far from 'NIMBY's - my immediate neighbours and ourselves have already absorbed a significant negative impact to the established tranquillity of our neighbourhood with the recent opening of the Cornerstone community project, where the associated noise pollution, increased footfall at late hours, and ongoing parking difficulties with increased traffic have been an adjustment in comparison to our previous peaceful environment.
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2 We are taking one for the team on that front on the grounds that the Cornerstone development provides valuable positives and amenities to the community at large. Vitally, the Cornerstone staff and managing team are on-site and visible for consultation, and although we have not had need we are confident we could seek their support in the event of any overwhelming issues. The proposed let will have no on-site monitoring or presence to offer similar confidence, and has no greater positive community impact than profit to the applicants. The already deteriorating parking situation will only be exacerbated by multiple additional vehicles for each letting period. It leaves us in a position whereby the serenity and tranquility the applicants advertise will be taken entirely from us by a pincer movement of disruption from both the Cornerstone at the front and the let property at the back. The potential for disturbance is not hypothetical but a foreseeable outcome, given the property’s size and intended occupancy level. The added introduction of a large hot tub will generate significant noise, not only from the equipment itself but primarily from the users. A hot tub with a six-person capacity will almost certainly be a focal point for activity, resulting in noise that will carry across gardens and public spaces, particularly in the stillness of the evenings. Given the successive nature of short term lets, it is also likely to be utilised with more frequency, and less consideration, than would be expected from a fellow long-term resident mindful of the wellbeing of their neighbours. We as a couple are incredibly anxious about the outcome of this application (which appears to be presented as a foregone conclusion given the advertising in advance of approval) due to the specific health needs of my husband, a stroke survivor, who relies on a peaceful environment for his ongoing recovery and wellbeing. Should you decide in favour of the application, it will fundamentally alter the character of our little neighbourhood and diminish the quality of life for permanent residents. For the reasons outlined above, we respectfully urge the licensing authority to refuse this application. The proposed use of the property is at odds with the needs and expectations of the existing community, poses a clear risk to residential amenity, and threatens the cohesion and sustainability of our village. I trust that the council will give due consideration to the long-term interests of residents and the preservation of our unique community character. Yours faithfully Moray and Samantha MacFarlane 8 Allt-Mor Place, Kinloch Rannoch, PH16 5PH