Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning application documents: what to read first
Understand planning application documents, officer reports and decision notices. Use a reading checklist, document table and worked example to inspect a case.
Scotland · Local authority
Orkney Islands
Planning applications.
Explore collected planning applications and decisions for Orkney Islands. Search an address, application reference or proposal to find a record.
Collected application statistics
Collected records · All available dates11,804Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 9,909 approved or refused records
431Refused applications
9,478 approved · 431 refused · 559 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 3 Dec 1999 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 11 Oct 2026. Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.
Local planning information
Council sources checked 14 Sept 2026Planning information Planning and BuildingLocal plan Development and Marine Planning (policy)Pre-application advice Pre-application AdviceConservation areas Conservation Area Consent
Council contacts
- Planning enquiries01856873535Council source
- Planning enquiriesplanning@orkney.gov.ukCouncil source
Contact details were found on council pages. Check the source for opening hours and which enquiries the service handles.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Explore published planning boundaries and follow their source records for designation details. Coverage varies: an empty map does not mean there are no restrictions. Check the council’s current maps and documents before relying on a boundary.
Conservation areas6 mapped area records
Article 4 direction areasBoundary dataset not connected
Interactive planning map loads with JavaScript. Dataset sources are linked below.
Download Article 4 coverage for all authorities (CSV)
Data downloaded 14 Sept 2026. Display boundaries are simplified and indicative. Map record counts are not a complete count of designations or directions.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland. Contains Historic Environment Scotland and Ordnance Survey data © Historic Environment Scotland – Scottish Charity No. SC045925 © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data is indicative and may not contain the latest designations.
More application records
- Decided09/165/LB
Internal alterations to accommodate caf� bar and disabled toilet and new lobby door on ground floor and installation of signs on front and side elevations
6 Broad Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1NX
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/166/AD
Display signage
6 Broad Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1NX
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/167/PPF
Erect a house with integral garage for a retiring farmer
Housnea (Land Near), Sandwick
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/168/PPF
Erect a slatted court
Clifton, Westray
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/169/PPF
Erect a slatted court
Housebay, Stronsay, KW17 2AJ
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/170/APN
Erect a GP shed
Housebay, Stronsay, KW17 2AJ
Received 7 Apr 2009 - Decided09/171/LB
Retain existing paint finish
7 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1HR
Received 8 Apr 2009 - Decided09/172/APN
Roof over existing silo
Cleat Farm, Work Road, St Ola
Received 8 Apr 2009 - Decided09/173/PPF
Erect a silo and install effluent tank
Cleat Farm, Work Road, St Ola
Received 8 Apr 2009 - Decided09/174/PPF
Alter external steps and form new level access ramp and install a residential flat
Eday Church, Eday
Received 8 Apr 2009 - Decided09/175/LB
Alter external steps and form new level access ramp and install a residential flat. Erect studio flat over existing balcony and form new disabled access WC and meeting room
Eday Church, Eday
Received 8 Apr 2009 - Decided09/176/PPF
Extend a house
Inganess Farm, St Ola, KW15 1SR
Received 9 Apr 2009 - Decided09/177/PPF
Install 1 x 0.3m transmission dish and ancillary equipment
Arqiva Site, Netherfield, Pierowall, Westray, KW17 2DL
Received 9 Apr 2009 - Decided09/178/PPF
Erect a replacement house and re-roof existing dairy and barn
Creya, Evie
Received 9 Apr 2009 - Decided09/179/PPF
Erect a slatted court and feed store
Langskaill, Marwick, Birsay
Received 10 Apr 2009 - Decided09/180/PPF
Convert and extend barn to create a dwelling
Yarpha (Land Near), Deerness
Received 15 Apr 2009 - Decided09/181/PPF
Erect a slatted court
Tifter, Westray
Received 15 Apr 2009 - Decided09/182/PPF
Erect a wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Beafield (Land Near), Sanday
Received 15 Apr 2009 - Decided09/183/PPF
Erect a house for a farm worker
Heads (Land Near), St Margaret's Hope
Received 17 Apr 2009 - Decided09/184/APN
Erect a cattle court
Howe Farm, Stromness
Received 17 Apr 2009 - Decided09/185/PPF
Extend a house and re-roof existing garage with a pitched roof
Kapiti, Holm, KW17 2RY
Received 17 Apr 2009 - Decided09/186/PPF
Erect a wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Findlays Cottage, Breck, Orphir
Received 17 Apr 2009 - Decided09/187/PPO
Siting of a replacement house
Roadside (Land Near), St Margaret's Hope
Received 20 Apr 2009 - Decided09/188/PPF
Erect a wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Scomuir, Holm, KW17 2SA
Received 20 Apr 2009
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
View all applicationsResearching a proposal in Orkney Islands
Start with the address or application reference. Open a record to read the proposal, dates and available documents, then check the official register for the latest plans and consultation details. If nothing appears, check coverage before treating the result as a complete planning history.
Planning procedures in Scotland differ from those in England. Use the authority’s own guidance for application requirements, comments and decision timescales.
How to search planning applicationsGuides to planning records
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Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
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What these statistics cover
These figures describe applications collected by PlanningTrack for Orkney Islands, across all dates currently available. They are a partial dataset, rather than an authority-wide performance measure. The date range does not establish continuous historical coverage.
The approval percentage is approved records divided by approved plus refused records. Pending, withdrawn and unknown outcomes are excluded. No percentage is shown until there is an approved or refused record.
Check collection coverage