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9,638 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided09/559/PP
Erect a slatted court
Hermisgarth, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 9 Dec 2009 - Decided09/560/PP
Replace existing asbestos slate roof with Canadian slate
39 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 9 Dec 2009 - Decided09/561/LB
Replace existing asbestos slate roof with Canadian slate
39 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 9 Dec 2009 - Decided09/562/PIP
Siting of a house
Annfield Park (Site 1) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/563/PP
Change of use from retail unit to restaurant, form a dwelling unit and carry out external alterations including re-render lower part of building, reinstate door and alter proportion of a window
31-33 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/564/LB
Carry out external alterations including re-render lower part of building, reinstate door, alter proportion of a window and internal alterations to accommodate a change of use from retail unit to restaurant and formation of a dwelling unit
31-33 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/565/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Taravil (Land Near), Redland, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/566/PP
Demolish garage and erect new boundary wall and wooden shed (retrospective)
80 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/567/PP
Replace single-glazed windows on front of building with double-glazed windows
11 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NW
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/568/PP
Change of use to retail
Unit C, 11 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 10 Dec 2009 - Decided09/569/APN
Erect a shed for farm machinery
Perth, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 11 Dec 2009 - Withdrawn/Returned09/570/AD
Display 3 signs
The Waterside, Atlantis Lodges, Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EH
Received 11 Dec 2009 - Decided09/571/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 15m)
Old Manse, Brinnigar, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney
Received 11 Dec 2009 - Decided09/572/PP
Extend and alter house (modification to 07/625/PPF)
Springfield, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 14 Dec 2009 - Decided09/573/PIP
Siting of a house and retention of existing building
Masseter, St Margarets Hope, Orkney, KW17 2RN
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/574/LB
Replace front door
108A Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BU
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/575/PP
Erect a slatted court
Ha'quoy, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2EB
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/576/PP
Erect a slatted court
Aikerness, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2NH
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/577/PP
Erect a slatted court (Retrospective)
East Howe, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NB
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/578/VR
Remove conditions 4 & 5 to approval of 05/059/PPF limiting use to holiday lets and then converted to 09/578/VR
Former Smiddy, Evie Road, Finstown, Orkney
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/579/PP
Temporary siting of 2 shipping containers for use as storage and erect a timber clad link corridor to existing building
Orkney Hyperbaric Chamber, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 15 Dec 2009 - Decided09/580/PP
Demolish outbuilding and extend a house
Waal Cottage, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DW
Received 16 Dec 2009 - Decided09/581/PP
Install a dormer window
Royal Hotel, 55 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BS
Received 16 Dec 2009 - Decided09/582/PP
Erect a house and detached garage
Standingstone (Land Near), Hillside, Burray, Orkney
Received 16 Dec 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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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