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 dates11,543Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 9,665 approved or refused records
428Refused applications
9,237 approved · 428 refused · 548 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided08/385/PPF
Installation of 3 x 1.2m dishes and 1 x 1.8m dish to existing tower
Ward Hill Radio Station, South Ronaldsay
Received 4 Aug 2008 - Decided08/386/PPF
Install 6m high mast with 2 antennas and cabinets within a fenced compound
Lyness Interpretation Centre, Hoy
Received 4 Aug 2008 - Decided08/387/PPF
Installation of 2 x 3.7m dishes to existing tower and increase in height of tower by 5m
Sanday Radio Station, Sanday
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/388/PPO
Siting of a replacement house
Spurr, Roseness, Holm
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/389/LB
Install radio receiver and cable
Kirkwall Hotel, Harbour Street, Kirkwall
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/390/PPF
Erect wind turbine generator (max. height 15m)
Upper Cornquoy (Land Near), Holm
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/391/PPF
Change of use to cafe and install replacement ground floor doors and windows
The Post Office, St Margaret's Hope
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/392/PPF
Plant storage (Retrospective)
Deepdale Cottage, Stromness, KW16 3EX
Received 5 Aug 2008 - Decided08/393/PPF
Erect a house with integral garage and demolish shed
The Steading, Longhope, Hoy
Received 6 Aug 2008 - Decided08/394/PPF
Install new tower with 1 x 0.6m dish and 2 x 2.4m dishes and demolish existing tower
Mildoe Radio Station, Rendall
Received 6 Aug 2008 - Decided08/395/PPF
Install new tower with 2 x 2.4m dishes, 1 x 3.7m dish and 1 x 4.6m dish and erect equipment housing
North Ronaldsay Radio Station, North Ronaldsay
Received 6 Aug 2008 - Decided08/396/LB
Erect a temporary roof slate guard
Ivy House, Albert Street, Kirkwall
Received 8 Aug 2008 - Decided08/397/PPF
Erect a house
Lynnburn (Land Near), Burray
Received 11 Aug 2008 - Decided08/398/PPF
Erect a shed
Brinian Shore, Rousay
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Decided08/400/PPF
Erect a house
Springs (Land Near), Burray
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Decided08/401/PPF
Erect a replacement house
Hyval, Dounby
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Withdrawn/Returned08/402/PPF
Erect a house to replace existing derelict barn
Head Of Vaady, Egilsay,
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Decided08/399/PPF
Erect a house
Old Mill Field, Wyre Pier, Wyre
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Withdrawn/Returned08/403/PPF
Convert house to 2 flats
86 Junction Road, Kirkwall
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Decided08/404/PPR
Erect a house with integral garage
Newgarth (Site 1) (Land Near), Sandwick
Received 14 Aug 2008 - Decided08/405/PPR
Erect a house with integral garage
Newgarth (Site 2) (Land Near), Sandwick
Received 15 Aug 2008 - Decided08/406/PPF
Erect wind turbine generator (max. height 15m) & the retention of three guyed towers
Ervadale Cottage, Rousay, KW17 2PR
Received 15 Aug 2008 - Decided08/407/PPO
Siting of 2 houses
Stove (Land Near), Sanday
Received 15 Aug 2008 - Decided08/408/PPO
Siting of a log cabin chalet
Kirkland (Land Near), Rousay
Received 15 Aug 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