The Conservative leader of a council which claims it has had problems with Airbnbs and short lets has given wholehearted backing to Michael Gove’s proposals to clampdown on the sector.

Yesterday Gove announced that under the clampdown councils will be given greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process. Gove claims “this will support local people in areas where high numbers of short-term lets are preventing them from finding housing they can afford to buy or to rent.”

Meanwhile, a new mandatory national register will give local authorities the information they need about short-term lets in their area, and the government suggests this “will help councils understand the extent of short-term lets in their area, the effects on their communities, and underpin compliance with key health and safety regulations.”

Existing homeowners will still be able to let out their own main or sole home without planning consent but only for up to 90 nights throughout a year.

The Tory leader of Cornwall Council, Lina Taylor, has made a statement throwing her weight behind the idea.

She says: “We’ve been asking for the powers to help stem the escalating number of short-terms lets in many of Cornwall’s beautiful towns and villages.

“I was delighted that the Secretary of State took the time to visit Cornwall last Thursday to hear first-hand from residents about the impact those increased numbers of holiday lets are having on local communities, and therefore I very much welcome the announcement.

“Alongside the introduction of the 100 per cent premium on second homes from April 2025, I’m pleased the government is providing the fiscal, planning and regulatory powers to help rebalance Cornwall’s housing market and allow us to provide even more decent and secure homes for local people and help all our communities to thrive.”