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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/509/PIP
Siting of two houses
Fish Factory, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 21 Oct 2016 - Decided16/510/AMC
Erect a house with a detached garage and install an air source heat pump (following permission in principle 15/094/PIP).
Ingaskeldt (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 24 Oct 2016 - Decided16/511/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump (following permission 13/325/PPMAJ).
Plot 5, Moar Drive, Kirkwall
Received 24 Oct 2016 - Decided16/512/EB
Install a 33kV overhead electricity line.
Greystone, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 25 Oct 2016 - Decided16/513/EB
Install a 33kV overhead electricity line.
Stove, Sanday, Orkney
Received 25 Oct 2016 - Decided16/514/PP
Erect a building to house craft distillery, visitor centre, and associated storage sheds (amendment to 16/162/PP).
Store, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 26 Oct 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/515/PP
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective).
9 - 11 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 26 Oct 2016 - Decided16/516/PP
Erection of 9 flats with air source heat pumps.
Lyness Cottage, 61 Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AX
Received 27 Oct 2016 - Decided16/517/PP
Erect a slatted byre.
Hackland (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JF
Received 27 Oct 2016 - Decided16/518/HH
Extend a house.
Vennabrek, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 27 Oct 2016 - Decided16/519/HH
Extend a house.
Eastcott, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 1 Nov 2016 - Decided16/520/PP
Erect a general purpose shed.
R S Rendall 8 Grainshore Drive St Ola Orkney Islands KW15 1GG
Received 1 Nov 2016 - Decided16/521/PP
Install two air source heat pumps.
Albert Hotel, Mounthoolie Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JZ
Received 3 Nov 2016 - Decided16/522/AMC
Erect a house with detached garage and create an access (following planning in principle - 14/139/PIP).
Silverhall (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BL
Received 3 Nov 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/523/PP
Extend a shop, alterations to external steps and retaining wall.
The Co-operative Food, 27 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AG
Received 3 Nov 2016 - Decided16/524/PP
Subdivide house into 3 flats, erect two semi-detached houses and install five air source heat pumps.
22 Bignold Park Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Nov 2016 - Decided16/526/HH
Extend a house.
4 Thorfinn Place St Margarets Hope South Ronaldsay Orkney Islands KW17 2TR
Received 7 Nov 2016 - Decided16/527/PP
Import soil and landscape site to create park with recreation facilities and food kiosk, and upgrade an access.
Crantit Farm House (Land Near), Crantit Park, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1RZ
Received 7 Nov 2016 - Decided16/528/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access.
Briarlea (Land Near), Bigswell Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3LA
Received 7 Nov 2016 - Decided16/529/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage and an air source heat pump.
Alton Cottage, 49 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LH
Received 8 Nov 2016 - Decided16/530/LB
Form two openings and install two windows (amendment to 14/402/LB) (retrospective)
8 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 8 Nov 2016 - Decided16/531/PIP
Erect a replacement house and create an access.
Hottit (Land Near) South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TH
Received 9 Nov 2016 - Decided16/532/PP
Erect a general purpose shed (retrospective).
Sebay Farm (Land Near), St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 9 Nov 2016 - Decided16/533/PP
Install external staircase.
3 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 9 Nov 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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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