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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided17/081/PP
Demolish redundant agricultural building, erect a house with air source heat pump and create an access
Fursbreck Cottage (Land Near), Nearhouse Road, Harray, Orkney Islands, KW17 2JT
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/082/PP
Remove a dish and install a replacement dish
Milldoe Radio Station, Rendall, Orkney
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/083/TPPMAJ
Erect five wind turbines (max capacity 20.4MW, max height 125m), erect a meteorological mast (max height 81m), substation and associated infrastructure (including access track)
Hesta Head (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/084/HH
Extend a house
7 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney Islands, KW16 3AG
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/085/HH
Install replacement timber windows and door
5 Palace Gardens, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, KW15 1PB
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/086/LB
Install replacement timber windows and door
5 Palace Gardens, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, KW15 1PB
Received 22 Feb 2017 - Decided17/087/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump for a retiring farmer (amendment to 16/050/PP)
Huan, (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney Islands, KW16 3LS
Received 23 Feb 2017 - Decided17/088/PP
Install a hydrogen boiler and associated hydrogen storage
Shapinsay Primary School, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DY
Received 23 Feb 2017 - Decided17/089/HH
Install an air source heat pump (Retrospective)
Ivydene, Howe Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JU
Received 23 Feb 2017 - Decided17/090/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Backatown (Land Near), Redland Road, Finstown, Orkney
Received 23 Feb 2017 - Decided17/091/PP
Erect a house and create an access
Cormoss (Land Near), Calfsound, Eday, Orkney
Received 23 Feb 2017 - Decided17/092/HH
Extend a house
Southhouse, Central Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 24 Feb 2017 - Unknown17/093/PP
Erect two self-catering units with air source heat pumps and create an access
Swartland (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SD
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/094/HH
Remove Orkney slate, re-roof using Orkney and Welsh slate, install roof vents, erect a shed and decking
31 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/095/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump
Jubilee Court (Plot 3), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/096/APN
Erect a roof over existing silage clamp
Burnside (Land Near), Dykeside, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DW
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/097/TPO
Fell two mature trees and prune a tree
Ferndale, Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EG
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/098/PN
Remove a dish and install a replacement dish
Sanday Radio Station, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 27 Feb 2017 - Decided17/099/HH
Extend a house
Four Seasons, Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UE
Received 28 Feb 2017 - Decided17/100/PP
Erect a replacement house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (one for one)
Castlegreen, Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UE
Received 2 Mar 2017 - Decided17/101/PP
Erect a house with adjoining garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
Bayview (Land Near), Berstane Lodge Road, St Ola, Orkney Islands, KW15 1SZ
Received 2 Mar 2017 - Decided17/103/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Aviedale (Land Near), Puldrite Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2PB
Received 3 Mar 2017 - Decided17/105/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Sunnyside (Land Near), Ness Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JS
Received 6 Mar 2017 - Withdrawn/Returned17/106/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Afton Cottage (Land Near), St Marys, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RT
Received 6 Mar 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