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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/359/HH
Extend a house
Ingleside, Cromwell Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LN
Received 3 Aug 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/360/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump.
Ayreside (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NZ
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/361/HH
Replace existing windows at first floor level, front and rear of the property and install an air source heat pump.
15 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/362/LB
Replace existing windows at first floor level at front and rear of the property and install an air source heat pump.
15 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/363/HH
Extend a house and erect a detached garage.
Hunda, Peerie Sea Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UH
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/364/HH
Extend a house
Twargarn Cottage, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LF
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/365/APN
Erect an agricutural building.
Onziebust (Land Near), Onziebust Road, Egilsay, Orkney, KW17 2QD
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/366/PP
Change of use from dwelling to Health Care Facility (Class 4).
Daisybank, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 8 Aug 2016 - Decided16/367/LB
Install boiler and minor internal alterations.
Daisybank, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 8 Aug 2016 - Decided16/368/PP
Install three air source heat pumps (retrospective).
The Ferry Inn, 10 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/369/TPP
Erect a 500kW wind turbine (max height 46.6m) with associated access and switchgear unit.
Swanbister (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 5 Aug 2016 - Decided16/370/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and air source heat pump.
Tynaire (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 8 Aug 2016 - Decided16/371/HH
Install an air source heat pump.
18 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 9 Aug 2016 - Decided16/372/PP
Amend exterior finish (Amendment to 16/006/PP).
Site Near Ballyshannon, Scapa, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 9 Aug 2016 - Decided16/373/PIP
Siting of a building.
Onziebust (Land Near), Egilsay, Orkney, KW17 2QD
Received 9 Aug 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/374/PIP
Siting of a replacement house.
Greenwall (Land Near), Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 9 Aug 2016 - Decided16/375/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a salmon fish farm.
Hunda, Burray, Orkney
Received 10 Aug 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/376/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a salmon fish farm
Roo Point, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 10 Aug 2016 - Decided16/377/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a salmon fish farm.
Lober, St Margaret's Hope
Received 10 Aug 2016 - Decided16/378/PP
Erect a hydrogen storage and vehicle refuelling system unit
Boat Yard (Land Near), Grainshore Road, Hatston, Kirkwall
Received 11 Aug 2016 - Decided16/379/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create a new access.
Strathearn (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 12 Aug 2016 - Decided16/380/APN
Erect a GP shed
Northfield (Land Near), Denwick Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 12 Aug 2016 - Decided16/381/PP
Amendment to layout of serviced sites (retrospective).
Damsay View, Finstown, Orkney
Received 12 Aug 2016 - Decided16/382/PP
Change of use from agricultural land to domestic and erect a new garage.
Skaildaquoy, Ferryhouse Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 16 Aug 2016
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