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 dates11,977Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,072 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,638 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 12 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided09/481/PIP
Siting of 5 houses and create an access
Shorelands, 22 George Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PP
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/482/LB
Replace windows
Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/483/PP
Erect a wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Eastside, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2JD
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/484/PP
Extend a house including an integral garage
Hirstigar, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/486/LB
Replace existing windows and doors
19 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/488/LB
Replace existing windows and doors
8 Gunns Close, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DU
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/489/LB
Replace sashes in existing windows
23 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 2 Nov 2009 - Decided09/493/PP
Erect a self-catering unit
Ploverhall (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 4 Nov 2009 - Withdrawn/Returned09/494/PP
Erect a house with integral garage
Quoyloo Cottage (Land Near), Quoyloo, Sandwick, Orkney
Received 4 Nov 2009 - Decided09/495/PP
Erect replacement fire escape in galvanised steel, erect a vestibule, clad existing store in cedar and re-paint hotel front on ground floor
St Ola Hotel, Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LE
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/496/LB
Replace windows and doors
23 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/497/LB
Replace windows and doors
47 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/498/PP
Demolish existing warehouse and erect a wholesale depot
Birsay Farmers Ltd, Swordfish Road, Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1GL
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/499/PP
Testing the drilling of rock tension anchors
Walliwall Quarry, St Ola, Orkney
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/500/PP
Replace single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows
United Reform Church Manse, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PA
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/501/PP
Erect a first floor flat over an existing shop
Palace Stores, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 5 Nov 2009 - Decided09/502/PP
Erect 2 semi-detached houses, demolish garage and remove trees
1 Broadsands Road (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BP
Received 10 Nov 2009 - Decided09/503/PP
Demolish existing lean-to garage, erect a detached garage and extend a house
Brencherhouse Cottage, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LU
Received 10 Nov 2009 - Decided09/504/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Muckle Pow (Land Near), Evie, Orkney
Received 10 Nov 2009 - Decided09/505/PPMAJ
Sand extraction
Dale (Land Near), The Bu, Burray, Orkney
Received 12 Nov 2009 - Decided09/506/PP
Erect a house
Lairds Hill (Land Near) Holm, Orkney
Received 12 Nov 2009 - Appeal decided09/507/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and retain building to be replaced for use as store
Kirkness Farm House (Land Near), Twatt, Orkney, KW17 2JF
Received 12 Nov 2009 - Decided09/508/PP
Extend a house
The Knowes, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2HG
Received 13 Nov 2009 - Decided09/509/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 18m)
Naversdale, Orphir, Orkney
Received 13 Nov 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