It’s feared the local authority’s planning office will become overwhelmed once new regulations surrounding short-term lets come into force next summer.
It comes amid growing concern that new planning permission rules will force many accommodation hosts out of businesses, which its claimed would devastate the tourism sector in parts of this county.
From May 20th, new short-term let regulations are due to come into force requiring hosts to register with Fáilte Ireland for rentals up to 21 nights, renew their registration annually and ensure they comply with planning permission rules.
The goal is to bring more properties back to the long-term rental market by regulating short-term letting, especially in high-demand areas.
Local authorities will enforce these rules through the planning system and Clare County Council is advising property owners to engage with the planning authority ahead of the tourist season to establish what planning consent requirements they may have.
At this month’s meeting of the local authority, Lahinch Fine Gael Councillor Bill Slattery called for clarity on the impact of the impending changes.
He’s concerned that staffing levels aren’t sufficient to do deal with the case load and he believes some of the new rules don’t make sense.
A Clare short-term let host of more than eight years fears the new regulations will force her and many other operators across this county out of business.
Lorna Cahill, who is an Air BnB Host Leader for Clare, Limerick and Tipperary says many of the hosts she represents are women over fifty who are carers needing to remain in the home, and operating a short-term let allows them to do so.
The Miltown Malbay resident appeared before an Oireachtas Committee last November and subsequently travelled to Brussels to address politicians there, but says while host leaders were listened to, they haven’t since received any feedback.
The National Planning Statement, which is expected to provide practical guidance affording flexibility to planning departments, has not yet been published and Lorna says she’s “sick to the stomach” thinking about what’s coming down the line.
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