Democracy Spraffa

Appendix 2 - Objection F Purdie

Perth and Kinross Council · 27 March 2024
Back to Licensing Committee — 27 March 2024 and its agenda

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1
Nicola Storrar
From: Fergus Purdie
Sent: 11 October 2023 22:55
To: CDS STL
Subject: Objection to short-term let license application for Flat G Fiscals House 3 South
Street, Perth, Perth And Kinross, PH2 8NJ
Attachments: V 03 - letter of objection.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from an external organisaon. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open
aachments unless you have verified the sender and know the content is safe.
Good aernoon.
Subject: FW: Objecon to license applicaon with respect to a change of use from flat to short-term let.
Application Address : Flat G, Fiscals House, 3 South Street, Perth, PH2 8NJ
Applicant : Ms Deirdre Brown
Objectors’ Names : Fergus and Elizabeth Purdie
Objectors’ Address : Flat H, Fiscals House, 3 South Street, Perth, PH2 8NJ
Reference the above and recent re-notification of the licence application due to it being incorrectly displayed  -
please accept this new email as an objection (see letter attached) following a notice displayed in the window of Flat
G,  3 South Street, Perth PH2 8NJ. For information there is an active planning application Ref 23/01025/FLL  (noted
as “currently awaiting decision”) still to be determined.
Regards Fergus and Elizabeth Purdie
Fergus Purdie RSA
Architect
5a Melville Street
Perth PH1 5PY 
www.ferguspurdiearchitect.co.uk

Page 2

Application For Short-Term Let - Objection To The Proposals
Background information - the property was bought in June 2022 and immediately operated as a
short-term let - Airbnb. The owner was informed of the need for planning permission (a change of
use) and a license to operate an Airbnb. However, they decided to ignore the existing resident’s
concerns about this breach of planning. Then, after a period of 12 months of operating the short-
term let, and only after the intervention of PKC, did the owner finally submit a planning application.
The proposal does not satisfy the NPF4 Policy 30 – Tourism, with respect to the following.
30b states - proposals for tourism related development will take into account:
i. The contribution made to the local economy.
iii. Impacts on communities, for example by hindering the provision of homes and services for local
people.
In respect of criterion (i) economic benefit, short-term letting will not provide the amount and
quality of localised financial contribution made by a permanent resident all year round. In fact, as it is
not a fully occupied residence it will be significantly less in both aspects. Not an economic benefit.
In respect of criterion (iii), the impact of Flat G’s current short-term let business demonstrates a clear
disregard for an established community based approach to town centre living that Fiscals House
encourages and supports. Also endorsed by the Scottish Government guidance and advice. Also refer
to 30e (ii) below.
30e states - development proposals for the reuse of existing buildings 
for short-term holiday letting will not be supported where the proposal will result in:
i. an unacceptable impact on local amenity or the character of a neighbourhood or area.
ii. The loss of residential accommodation where such loss is not outweighed by demonstrable local
economic benefits.
In respect of 30e (i), the building has common amenity areas for the residents including hallways,
storage and bins. Short-term letting has caused existing residents/owners a range of issues including
for example - wellbeing, anti-social behaviour and building management. Consequently, the ongoing
use of Flat G as a short-term let will continue to have an adverse effect on occupants. Issues such as
security and safety, smoking in the common areas and the misuse of recycling and refuse bins - all
impacting negatively upon the local amenity. 
In respect of 30e (ii), the proposal would result in the loss of a flat that would otherwise provide long
term residential accommodation for someone who wants to live in the city centre. An example of
how the use of short term let has impacted negatively upon the property occurred when a previous
neighbour, a long-term let, in an adjacent flat in the building had to move out due to the flat being
sold. Flat G would have been an ideal opportunity for them to move into. However, due to it being
used for short-term let and the owner not interested in long-term lets, they had to move out of the
city centre. The outcome was the loss of residential accommodation and the positive economic and
social benefits of a local resident. This clearly demonstrates the detrimental impact of criterion (ii) as
described above.
In addition to all of the above there are existing hospitality businesses in the city centre that having
come out of a pandemic and with the current impact of the cost of living crisis will suffer additional
economic burdens because of short-term letting. Existing businesses should be supported.