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 dates11,326Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 9,468 approved or refused records
423Refused applications
9,045 approved · 423 refused · 534 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 1 Feb 2005 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided07/472/PN
Attach 1 dish
Wideford Hill Radio Station, St Ola
Received 17 Aug 2007 - Decided07/473/PN
Attach 1 dish
North Ronaldsay Radio Station, North Ronaldsay
Received 17 Aug 2007 - Decided07/475/EB
Install additional pole
Newark, Harray
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Decided07/476/PPO
Siting of replacement house
Cottonhill, (land Near), Evie
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Decided07/477/PPF
Erect domestic stable
Monquahanny, Shapinsay, KW17 2DZ
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Withdrawn/Returned07/478/PPF
Erect 2 houses
Site H5, Site 1 & 2 (land Near), St Marys
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Decided07/479/PPF
Import clay and inert materials to use for foundations and dune protection
The Bu, Burray
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Decided07/474/PPO
Siting of house
Garth, (land Near), Balfour, Shapinsay
Received 21 Aug 2007 - Decided07/481/PPF
Erect house
Burnside (Site 4) (Land Near), Harray
Received 22 Aug 2007 - Decided07/482/PPF
Renovation and extension
Honeysgeo, Grimness, South Ronaldsay, KW17 2TH
Received 22 Aug 2007 - Decided07/480/PPF
Change of use to residential, commercial and self catering
Woodwick Gallery, Evie
Received 23 Aug 2007 - Decided07/483/LBC
Remove redundant stove and paint exterior of the house oatmeal cream
Quoy Of Houton, Houton, Orphir
Received 23 Aug 2007 - Decided07/484/PPF
Convert to dwelling unit
Twatt Farm, Stenness
Received 24 Aug 2007 - Decided07/486/PPO
Siting of house
Ardenlea, (land Near), Benlaw Road, Evie
Received 24 Aug 2007 - Decided07/488/PN
Install 1.2m dish
Sanday Radio Station Sanday
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/487/PPF
Re-roof and replace windows
The Anchorage Nether Scapa St Ola
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/489/PPF
Erection of 60m high anemometer mast
Wideford Hill Radio Station St Ola
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/490/PN
Install dish on existing tower
North Ronldsay Radio Station North Ronaldsay
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/485/PPF
Refurbishment of fishing boat to create picnicing area/shelter
Bayview (land Near), Papa Westray
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/491/PPO
Siting of a house
Thrave, Sanday
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/492/PPO
Siting of a replacement house
Hull, (land Near), Evie
Received 27 Aug 2007 - Decided07/493/PPF
Alter house, including installation of dormers
Uvigar, Harray
Received 28 Aug 2007 - Decided07/494/PPF
Erect a house and garage
Eviedale (Site 2) (Land Near), Evie
Received 28 Aug 2007 - Decided07/495/PPF
Erect a house with integral garage
Eviedale (Site 3) (Land Near), Evie
Received 28 Aug 2007
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