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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided17/316/HH
Replace windows and doors and install an air source heat pump
The Penthouse, Front Road, St Margarets Hope, Orkney
Received 7 Jul 2017 - Decided17/317/PN
Install 3 antennae and a cabinet
Newark (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 10 Jul 2017 - Decided17/318/PP
Extend a shed
Cooke Aquaculture, Factory H43, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1RG
Received 11 Jul 2017 - Decided17/319/HH
Extend a house
Sydney, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 11 Jul 2017 - Decided17/320/PP
Erect a storage shed
Daybreak (Land Near), School Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 11 Jul 2017 - Decided17/321/PP
Change of use from agricultural land to domestic and erect a domestic shed
Craighall, Stonehall Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 12 Jul 2017 - Decided17/322/PP
Erect a monastery including living accommodation, dining facilities, chapel and outbuilding, associated landscaping, create an access and install a septic tank
The Hermitage, Grimbust Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 12 Jul 2017 - Decided17/323/HH
Repairs and restoration works including install window astragals and replacement rainwater goods and porch roof
45-47 Albert Street Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1HQ
Received 13 Jul 2017 - Decided17/324/LB
Repairs and restoration works including install window astragals and replacement rainwater goods and porch roof
45-47 Albert Street Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1HQ
Received 13 Jul 2017 - Decided17/325/LB
Install replacement rooflights and rainwater goods, re-harl and paint windows and doors.
2 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HF
Received 13 Jul 2017 - Decided17/326/HH
Erect a detached garage (retrospective)
4 Grimsetter Drive, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XT
Received 13 Jul 2017 - Decided17/327/PP
Extension and alterations to a brewery, including new roofing, and change of use to cafe bar, shop and gallery
Swannay Brewery, By Evie, Orkney, KW17 2NP
Received 14 Jul 2017 - Decided17/328/PP
Change of use from agricultural land to domestic, erect a domestic garage and relocate septic tank
Vennabrek, Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 14 Jul 2017 - Decided17/329/MAR
To establish oyster farm 0.2 hectares (540 steel trestles) on 1.9 hectare site
Bay Of Skaill, Westray, Orkney
Received 14 Jul 2017 - Decided17/330/LB
Install metal cigarette bin
Sheriff Court, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PD
Received 17 Jul 2017 - Decided17/331/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Dalespot, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 17 Jul 2017 - Decided17/333/PP
Install replacement rooflights and rainwater goods, re-harl and paint windows and doors.
2 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HF
Received 18 Jul 2017 - Decided17/334/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one) and create an access
Redland (Site 1) (Land Near), Redland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 19 Jul 2017 - Unknown17/335/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one) and create an access
Redland (Site 2) (Land Near), Redland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 19 Jul 2017 - Decided17/336/AMC
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and create access (following planning permission in principle 17/025/PIP)
Queena (Land Near), Puldrite Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2EZ
Received 20 Jul 2017 - Decided17/337/PP
Change of use from public house to gatehouse ancillary to castle
Gatehouse, Balfour Castle, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DY
Received 21 Jul 2017 - Decided17/338/LB
Alterations to reinstate gatehouse function
Gatehouse, Balfour Castle, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DY
Received 21 Jul 2017 - Decided17/339/APN
Erect a GP shed
Holland, Rerwick Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 24 Jul 2017 - Withdrawn/Returned17/340/PP
Erect replacement house with air source heat pump and detached garage and create an access
Gallowhill (Land Near), Viewforth Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SZ
Received 25 Jul 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