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 dates11,467Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 9,596 approved or refused records
426Refused applications
9,170 approved · 426 refused · 542 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided08/088/PPF
Convert agricultural buildings to 2 dwellings and demolish nissen hut
Conyar, Harray
Received 8 Feb 2008 - Decided08/089/PPF
Extend a house and erect a shed
Deepdale Cottage, Stromness KW16 3EX
Received 11 Feb 2008 - Decided08/090/PPF
Change of use to equine rural business
Midhouse, Eastside, South Ronaldsay
Received 11 Feb 2008 - Decided08/091/PPR
Erect house with detached garage
Breckanquoy, East Langamay, Sanday
Received 12 Feb 2008 - Decided08/092/PPF
Convert to dwelling unit
62 Alfred Street, Stromness
Received 12 Feb 2008 - Decided08/093/LB
Install four velux windows in roof; install two new windows where former windows were blocked up and raise two existing windows
62 Alfred Street, Stromness
Received 12 Feb 2008 - Decided08/094/PPF
Erect a house
Kirbuster (land Near), Longhope
Received 12 Feb 2008 - Decided08/095/PPF
Extend a house and erect garage
Drill Cottage, Shapinsay KW17 2DZ
Received 13 Feb 2008 - Decided08/096/PPF
Erect wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Lapwing, Egilsay
Received 14 Feb 2008 - Decided08/097/PPF
Erect house with integral garage
Newcastle (Land Near), Burray
Received 14 Feb 2008 - Decided08/098/LB
Remove chimney, reinstate cope stone and pots and rebuild east gablet
Holland House, North Ronaldsay
Received 18 Feb 2008 - Decided08/099/PPO
Siting of a house
Ardage (Site 1) (Land Near), Burray
Received 18 Feb 2008 - Decided08/100/PPO
Siting of a house
Ardage (Site 2) (Land Near), Burray
Received 18 Feb 2008 - Decided08/101/PPF
Extend a house
Avonvilla, Rendall
Received 19 Feb 2008 - Decided08/102/PPF
Erect a house
Whitecleat (Site 5) (Land Near), Tankerness
Received 19 Feb 2008 - Decided08/103/LB
Demolish part of former school toilet block
Old Schoolhouse, Deerness
Received 19 Feb 2008 - Decided08/104/PPF
Erect a house
Kirkhouse, Skelwick, Westray
Received 20 Feb 2008 - Decided08/105/PPF
External alterations resulting from conversion of attic space to 13 bedrooms
Houton Bay Lodge, Houton, Orphir KW17 2RB
Received 20 Feb 2008 - Decided08/106/PPF
Erect a garage
Rose Cottage, Pierowall, Westray KW17 2BZ
Received 25 Feb 2008 - Decided08/107/PPF
Erect a vestibule and install windows
21 Palace Road, Kirkwall
Received 25 Feb 2008 - Decided08/108/PPF
Erect wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Horroquoy, Harray
Received 25 Feb 2008 - Decided08/109/PPF
Erect a shop and garage/store
North End Filling Station, North End Road, Stromness
Received 25 Feb 2008 - Decided08/110/PN
Install 0.6m diameter microwave dish and 2 sector antennas (650mm x 216mm x 190mm)
Maraquoy, Stromness
Received 25 Feb 2008 - Decided08/111/PPO
Siting of a house
Nethersands (land Near), Deerness
Received 26 Feb 2008
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