Report suggests 15% of island new housing now short term lets

A Highland Council report suggests that more than 15% of new-build housing completed in Skye and Raasay over the past five years is now being used as short term lets - more than three times the Highland wide average.

It comes as the local authority looks at potentially introducing new short term let control areas.

A control area came into effect in Badenoch and Strathspey last year, as a way of tackling a shortage of homes across the area.

Of 387 new homes built in Skye over the past five years, 60 of them are now registered as short term lets, according to Highland Council.

The figures were published by the council ahead of its last full meeting.

They also show that over the last five years across the whole of the Highland Council area, 4.5% of completed new-builds later appeared on their short term lets register.

Independent Eilean a' Cheo councillor Chrissie Gillies said it was difficult for local people to secure housing on Skye.

She said the "general feeling" was that people were unable to find homes after putting in offers for multiple properties.

Ms Gillies said islanders might then leave the area at a time when the island needed to retain people.

The issue is expected to be discussed by Highland Council's Skye and Raasay local area committee in the coming months.