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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided17/183/PP
Change of Use of part of shop (Class 1) to office (Class 2), reinstate a window opening and replace a door with timber boarding
8 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 19 Apr 2017 - Decided17/184/LB
Reinstate a window opening and replace a door with timber boarding
8 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 19 Apr 2017 - Decided17/186/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Farewell, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TW
Received 19 Apr 2017 - Decided17/187/HH
Extend a house and garage
3 Lynnside, Lynn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SR
Received 19 Apr 2017 - Decided17/188/PP
Erect a house with air source heat pump and create an access, install a communal foul drainage treatment plant and water storage tank, and improve a track and access
Sunnyside (Plot 5), St Ola, Orkney
Received 20 Apr 2017 - Decided17/189/PN
Install two antennae, generator, cabinet and fencing
Milldoe Radio Site, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2HF
Received 21 Apr 2017 - Decided17/190/LB
Install an external boiler
Papdale House, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LJ
Received 21 Apr 2017 - Decided17/192/HH
Extend a house and install and air source heat pump
Nisthouse, Bimbister Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/193/PP
Subdivide house to form two houses and install two air source heat pumps (part retrospective)
13 Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PA
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/194/PP
Extend a workshop
Workshop, Quarryfield Road, Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1GD
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/179/PP
Erect a house with air source heat pump and create an access (amendment to 17/106/PP)
Afton Cottage, St Marys, Holm, Orkney KW17 2RT
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/191/PN
Install two antennae, generator, cabinet and fencing
Radio Station, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2BA
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/196/LB
Install roof lights and windows and minor internal alterations
33 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/197/PP
Erect house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
Moar Drive (Plot 3), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1FS
Received 24 Apr 2017 - Decided17/195/PN
Install two antennae, generator, cabinet and fencing
Ward Hill Radio Station, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2RH
Received 25 Apr 2017 - Decided17/198/MAR
Create a salmon farming site comprising 12 x 100m circumference cages in a 60m grid with a 200 tonne feed barge
Hunda North, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 21 Apr 2017 - Decided17/201/PIP
Siting of a house (derelict building one for one)
Clouster (Land Near), Bu Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JH
Received 27 Apr 2017 - Decided17/202/APN
Erect 2 GP sheds
Stenaday, Grimeston Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JT
Received 28 Apr 2017 - Decided17/203/PP
Extend a cafe
Former St Andrews Kirk, Gransetter Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 1 May 2017 - Decided17/204/LB
Extend a cafe
Former St Andrews Kirk, Gransetter Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 1 May 2017 - Decided17/205/PP
Erect a house with air source heat pump and create access (amendment to 16/555/PP)
Geothe (Land Near), Gueth Road, Harray, Orkney KW17 2GB
Received 1 May 2017 - Decided17/206/HH
Create a hard standing and install an air source heat pump
6 Palace Gardens, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PB
Received 3 May 2017 - Decided17/207/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a salmon fish farm
North Fara, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 3 May 2017 - Decided17/208/PP
Change use of land from agricultural to domestic, erect a garage, create an access and block existing access
Caldene Cottage, Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TR
Received 3 May 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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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