Demand for more control over spread of airbnb-style holiday accommodation in Blackpool

The spread of tourist accommodation outside Blackpool’s designated holiday areas into residential neighbourhoods has led to complaints about noise, anti-social behaviour, parking and rubbish collection.

While the council is using planning powers to try to control the spread, there are also concerns the sector – often trading as airbnbs – is much less regulated than the town’s traditional hotels and b&bs.

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams told a meeting of the full council there were at least 454 short term lets in Blackpool.

She said she shared the concerns of the traditional holiday industry in the town “about the proliferation of short stay accommodation.”

She said: “Fundamentally these premises need to be regulated with a licensing scheme and physical checks of the premises.

“It is essential things like fire and gas safety is assured and that provision is made for waste collections and noise anti-social behaviour management.”

Coun Williams was speaking after the meeting was addressed by Ian White, a director of hoteliers group StayBlackpool which is calling for its Blackpool Approved Visitor Accommodation Scheme to be made compulsory including for the short lettings sector.

He said: “The Blackpool Approved Scheme, which is backed by VisitEngland, is a blueprint for such a licence.

“After inspection, the property is declared legal, safe and clean, though some fine tuning may be required to cover the many newer variations of short stayaccommodation.

“The scheme has been running for about six years and after some tweaks along the way, we now believe it to be an excellent scheme, fit for purpose, affordable, well managed and equally as important, very much accepted and embraced by the town’s accommodation providers.”

Coun Williams said the Government was refining a national registration scheme for short term lets, while the council has also held its own talks with Airbnb.

She added: “We will continue to argue that any scheme needs to address the fundamental issue that people cannot be allowed to trade on a whim and must be underpinned by robust standards, not least to protect the consumer.”