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 dates11,978Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,073 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 14 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided17/156/PP
Erect a slurry store
Dale, Evie Village, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 4 Apr 2017 - Decided17/157/HH
Extend a house and install air source heat pump
Tanera Mor, Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 5 Apr 2017 - Decided17/158/LB
Demolish and rebuild section of boundary wall
12 South End, Stromness, Orkney
Received 5 Apr 2017 - Decided17/159/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Mid Ouseness, Breckaskaill Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 5 Apr 2017 - Decided17/160/PP
Change of use from agriculture to community garden and erect two polytunnels and a shed
Heilsa Fjold - Sanday Community Centre (Land Near), School Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BN
Received 5 Apr 2017 - Decided17/161/PN
Install antenna and ancillary apparatus
Wideford Hill Radio Site, Wideford, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 6 Apr 2017 - Decided17/162/APN
Erect a GP shed
Daisybank, Denwick Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 7 Apr 2017 - Decided17/163/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Glenlee, Scapa Brae, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 7 Apr 2017 - Decided17/164/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Holland, Holland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 7 Apr 2017 - Decided17/166/APN
Erect two GP sheds
Noltland (Land Near), Noup Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DW
Received 10 Apr 2017 - Decided17/167/HH
Erect a garage and car port
Yorville, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PT
Received 11 Apr 2017 - Decided17/168/HH
Extend a house and install air source heat pump
Heddle Cottage, Heddle Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2JX
Received 11 Apr 2017 - Decided17/169/HH
Extend a house
Greenvale, Littlequoy Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 10 Apr 2017 - Decided17/170/PP
Create a play park including play equipment
Evie Primary School, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PE
Received 11 Apr 2017 - Decided17/171/HH
Extend a house and install air source heat pump
Eastafea, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 12 Apr 2017 - Decided17/173/LB
Paint walls, windows and doors, install replacement windows and display signage (part retrospective)
27 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 12 Apr 2017 - Decided17/174/PP
Paint walls, windows and doors, and install replacement windows (part retrospective)
27 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 12 Apr 2017 - Decided17/175/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with air source heat pump and create an access
Valdigar (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QR
Received 12 Apr 2017 - Decided17/176/HH
Extend a house including formation of swimming pool
Eastbrae House, Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 14 Apr 2017 - Decided17/177/PP
Change of use from a school (Class 10) to education institution and offices (Class 2, 4 and 10), install external cladding, reconfigure windows, other minor alterations, and create parking spaces
Former Stromness Primary School, Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AN
Received 14 Apr 2017 - Decided17/178/PP
Extend, remodel existing main entrance, create a new entrance and hard landscaping
Old Academy, 15 Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 14 Apr 2017 - Decided17/180/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Ardleigh (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JA
Received 18 Apr 2017 - Decided17/181/PP
Siting of two shepherd huts
Howe, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 18 Apr 2017 - Decided17/182/PP
Temporary siting of a caravan (Retrospective)
Hacco (Land Near), Halley Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 18 Apr 2017
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