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9,638 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided10/131/PP
Erect a wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Gairy, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DR
Received 5 Mar 2010 - Decided10/132/PP
Erect 3 wind turbine generators (max. height 18m)
Hall Of Tankerness, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 8 Mar 2010 - Decided10/133/PP
Erect a house, two GP sheds and a temporary caravan
Rothiesholm (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney
Received 9 Mar 2010 - Decided10/134/PP
Erect a replacement house
Howaback (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney
Received 9 Mar 2010 - Decided10/135/APN
Erect replacement GP shed
Lopness, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/136/PP
Erect a detached garage
Nether Pow, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/137/AD
Display a replacement sign
Bank Of Scotland, 56 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/138/LB
Display a replacement sign
Bank Of Scotland, 56 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/139/AD
Display a replacement sign
Bank Of Scotland, 99 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BU
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/140/LB
Display a replacement sign
Bank Of Scotland, 99 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BU
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/141/PP
Extend a house
Glenisla, Orphir, Orkney, KW15 1SG
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/142/LB
Internal alterations, including the removal of a wall, partitions and doors, and the installation of a stair lift
Sheriff Court, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PD
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/143/APN
Erect a GP shed
Mount Pleasant, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TJ
Received 10 Mar 2010 - Decided10/145/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 18m)
Brettovale, Knarston, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HZ
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/146/AMC
Erect an office facility, workshop, visitor centre and exhibition centre
Crowness Business Park (Site 3) (Land Near), Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/147/PP
Change of use to motor vehicle repair garage with MOT testing and car parking
Part Of Block Works, Quoyholme, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LL
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/148/PP
Erect 2 wind turbines (max. height 20m)
Smoogro Estate, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/149/LB
Replace front door, refurbish windows and shutters, and internal works including tanking, wall linings and room layouts
2 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/150/PP
Extend a house
Lower Cornquoy, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/151/APN
Erect a GP shed
Netherfiold, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 19 Mar 2010 - Decided10/144/PP
Convert and extend outbuildings to form 2 semi-detached houses with integral garages, demolish existing garage and erect a detached double garage for main house
Gillietrang, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SY
Received 22 Mar 2010 - Decided10/153/PIP
Siting of a house
Redbraes (Site 1) (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 22 Mar 2010 - Decided10/154/PIP
Siting of a house
Redbraes (Site 2) (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 22 Mar 2010 - Decided10/155/PIP
Siting of a house
Redbraes (Site 3) (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 22 Mar 2010
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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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