licensing policy

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Licensing Board decided on 23 June 2025 : Overprovision No More

The Edinburgh Licensing Board decided to scrap its long-standing overprovision policy.

The decision, reached by a split vote (5 to 3), was taken after a debate at the meeting of the Board on 23 June 2025.  It attracted headlines from the trade over the summer which may have been missed by the general public however.

The relevant segment of the Licensing Board’s meeting starts here: Licensing Board – Monday 23 June 2025, 9:30am – Start video at 0:08:23 – City of Edinburgh Council Webcasts

Summary, and some informative reactions from local licensing experts:
Edinburgh Licensing Board ends over-provision policy – DRAM Scotland
Edinburgh’s overprovision policy scrapped by city licensing board
Overprovision No More — All change in Edinburgh’s licensed trade landscape | Law Society of Scotland

All applications shall now be assessed on an evidence-driven approach relating to the five licensing objectives under the Licensing (Scotland) 2005 Act:

  • Preventing crime and disorder;
  • Preventing public nuisance;
  • Securing public safety;
  • Protecting children and young persons from harm; and
  • Protecting and improving public health.
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Licensing Board Policy Consultation: Gambling – closes 22 June 2025

Adapted from the post on the Council’s Consultation Hub, the Licensing Board is interested in the public’s views on its Gambling Policy Statement.

Closing date for online submissions:  22 June 2025.

Should you wish to share your views/concerns with NTBCC, please contact us by email to licensing@ntbcc.org.uk

The policy statement forms the basis upon which the Board considers applications for premises licences for venues such as betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, gaming machines in entertainment centres and pubs, and a range of other matters.

The policy does not cover matters which are the responsibility of the Gambling Commission and in addition the Licensing Board has a separate policy on alcohol licensing which does not form part of this consultation.

The Board invites comments on the terms of the current Gambling Policy Statement, having already agreed that it will be updated to take account of changes to guidance issued by the Gambling Commission.

Full details can be found here: Licensing Board – Gambling Policy – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space

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Licensing Board Supplementary Policy Consultation, Assessment of Overprovision – NTBCC response May 2025

NTBCC submitted the following in response to the consultation at Statement of Licensing Policy – Assessment of Overprovision – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space on 1 May 2025.

Introduction

1 Your details

First name: New Town & Broughton
Surname: Community Council
Email address: licensing (at) ntbcc.org.uk
Yes, I consent to being contacted about this consultation: Yes

2 Who are you responding as?

I am responding on behalf of an organisation
Continue reading →

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NTBCC ordinary meeting minutes 10 March 2025

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s ordinary meeting, held via Zoom, on Monday 10 March 2025 at 7pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. ND (‘no dissent’) means that no-one spoke or voted against a decision.

URLs have been added by the minutes secretary. Continue reading →

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Licensing Board Supplementary Policy Consultation – Assessment of Overprovision, closes 4 May 2025

Adapted from a Licensing Board communication received by the New Town & Broughton Community Council, inviting the public to comment on whether the whole of the City of Edinburgh Council’s area should be overprovided, whether specific localities be overprovided, or whether there should be no overprovision localities in its area.

Closing date for online submissions:  4 May 2025.

Should you wish to share your views/concerns with NTBCC, please contact us by email to licensing@ntbcc.org.uk 

Full details can be found here: Statement of Licensing Policy – Assessment of Overprovision – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space

NB: The current (2018) Assessment of Overprovision as set out in Chapter 14 and Appendix 2 of the Board’s new Statement of Licensing Policy (published 27 November 2023) continues to form part of the Board’s Statement of Licensing Policy meanwhile.

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STL Licensing 2024 Consultation – NTBCC response October 2024

NTBCC submitted the following in response to the consultation at Short-Term Lets 2024 – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space on 14 October 2024.

Introduction

1 Your details

First name: New Town & Broughton
Surname: Community Council
Email address: licensing (at) ntbcc.org.uk
Yes, I consent to being contacted about this consultation: Yes

2 Who are you responding as?

NTBCC Licensing

General

3 Please give us your comments on the guidance on applying for a short-term let or exemption.

The guidance should make it clear that Temporary Exemptions may be granted for a period not exceeding 6 weeks in any period of 12 months; likewise for Temporary Licences.

The concept of temporary ‘exemption’ is misleading however. The guidance suggests that a STL licence isn’t required whereas exemption(s) refer to lighter requirements around obtaining a STL licence while the mandatory conditions still apply.

The concept of ‘secondary’ letting is misleading too. Secondary suggests that the property in question might not be the first one operating in that mode, which perhaps explains why some applicants are found to apply for Home Letting &/or Home Sharing instead of Secondary Letting in some instances?

Continue reading →

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Civic Licensing – Short-Term Lets 2024 Consultation, closes 14 October 2024

Adapted from the post on the Council’s Consultation Hub, the Council’s Regulatory Committee is interested in the public views on the short-term lets licensing policy since its introduction in October 2022.

Closing date for online submissions:  14 October 2024.

Should you wish to share your views/concerns with NTBCC, please contact us by email to licensing@ntbcc.org.uk

As a result of the Civic Government Scotland Act 1982 (Licensing of Short Term Lets) Order 2022 being passed by the Scottish Parliament, local authorities in Scotland were required to introduce a mandatory licensing scheme for properties operating as short-term lets. The licensing scheme opened on 1 October 2022, with all short-term lets required to be licensed by January 2025.

As part of the licensing scheme, the Council has published a licensing policy for short-term lets in the city. These properties have to meet a minimum safety standard. The Council also added additional conditions to licences to respond to local circumstances.

Four types of licence can be issued for short-term let accommodation. These are:

  1. Home sharing;
  2. Home letting;
  3. Home sharing and home letting; or
  4. Secondary letting

Home sharing and home letting happen in a host or operator’s main home, and secondary letting is where the property is not the host or operator’s main home. The licence types are defined in legislation and the Council cannot exempt certain types of STL accommodation from the requirement to obtain a licence.

Full details can be found here: Short-Term Lets 2024 Consultation – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space

Since the introduction of a licensing scheme for short-term lets in October 2022, the Council has received over 4,000 applications.