The party is over! Airbnb hosts need planning permission to convert properties into short-term rentals to prevent holiday homes crowding out local residents and becoming hubs for anti-social behavior

Airbnb hosts must get planning permission to convert their properties into short-term rentals as part of plans to crack down on nuisance holiday lettings.

The problem has driven local people out of “regarded” towns and villages, Leveling Up secretary Michael Gove said.

Ministers decide whether properties must be let for longer than 30, 60 or 90 days before they are considered holiday rentals.

It is hoped that the measures, if passed, will discourage people from buying second homes to use them mainly for short-term rentals.

The changes will create a planning use class for rentals that are not used as a sole or primary residence.

Pictured: Interior of the Essex Stays Retreat. The Airbnb bar has its own cocktail bar that sleeps up to 20 people for £2,100 a night

Local authorities may drop such controls, but communities in tourist hotspots such as Cornwall and Whitby are expected to take full advantage to prevent residents from being forced out of the holiday towns. Mr Gove is publishing a consultation today proposing planning permission for an existing home to be used as an Airbnb or other short-term rental.

It comes weeks after Rishi Sunak promised he would try to stop Airbnbs being used as party houses and hubs for anti-social behaviour.

The changes will not apply retroactively, meaning only landlords looking to enter the holiday rental market will be affected, although private ministers have not ruled out a future crackdown on all properties. Mr Gove said: “Tourism brings many benefits to our economy, but in too many communities we have seen local residents being driven out of valued towns and villages by large numbers of short-term rentals.

“I am committed to ensuring that more people have access to affordable local housing and that we prioritize families who are desperate to own their own home close to where they work.”

Pictured: Jacuzzi at Essex Stays Retreat. The owners promised a local newspaper in January of this year that they would “keep noise pollution to a minimum.”

Separately, the Ministry of Culture proposed a new registration system for such accommodation so that ministers could have a complete database of existing Airbnbs.

Culture Minister Lucy Frazer said: “This new world of ultra-flexible short-term lets offers tourists more choice than ever, but this must not come at the expense of local residents’ ability to own their own homes and stay local . The government wants to help areas find the right balance and today we have an incomplete picture of the size and distribution of our short-term rental market.

“This consultation on a national registration system will provide us with the data we need to assess the situation and enable us to address the issues facing communities.”

The changes are for Airbnbs, meaning they won’t affect hotels, hostels or B&Bs.

Holiday property numbers have soared since 2019, with listings in stunning locations such as the Lake District more than doubling in the past year. Of the 30 neighborhoods with the highest density of holiday accommodation, an analysis by The Times found that 17 are in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Last month, residents of a village in Chelmsford, Essex, complained they couldn’t sleep as guests belted out music from a karaoke room and soaked in a hot tub late at night.

Essex Stays’ retreat at Great Baddow is an Airbnb pub with its own cocktail bar, accommodating up to 20 guests for £2,100 per night.

Mr Sunak had to apologize for the inconvenience caused to pensioner Jeff Jones when he confronted the Prime Minister about this rowdy “party house”.

The owners of Essex Stays did not respond to MailOnline requests for comment last month.

But in January of this year, they promised a local newspaper that they would “keep noise pollution to a minimum.”