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
137Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,076 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,642 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided17/446/HH
Extend a house
Auchmoarne, Lyde Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LA
Received 5 Oct 2017 - Decided17/447/PP
Construct roof over domestic outbuilding to form residential annexe, extend floorspace of existing gallery, change of use of partof agricultural shed to form domestic extension, and associated external alterations
Craiglands, Skidge Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 5 Oct 2017 - Decided17/448/PP
Install underground cable.
Sandybanks, Eday, Orkney
Received 6 Oct 2017 - Decided17/449/HH
Install an air source heat pump (with timber housing)
2 Melvin Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DD
Received 9 Oct 2017 - Decided17/450/LB
Install an air source heat pump (with timber housing)
2 Melvin Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DD
Received 9 Oct 2017 - Decided17/451/HH
Extend a house and relocate access
Westview, Outertown Road, Stromness Parish, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 9 Oct 2017 - Decided17/452/PP
Extend hotel to provide chiller
The Shore, 6 - 8 Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LG
Received 9 Oct 2017 - Decided17/454/LB
Install turf roofs and extend a house
South Hamar, Tuquoy Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 11 Oct 2017 - Decided17/455/PN
Install telecommunications apparatus
Wideford Hill, St Ola, Orkney
Received 13 Oct 2017 - Decided17/456/PP
Paint walls and windows
2 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 16 Oct 2017 - Decided17/457/LB
Paint walls and windows and display signage
2 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 16 Oct 2017 - Decided17/458/HH
Extend a house
13 East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HZ
Received 17 Oct 2017 - Decided17/459/LB
Extend a house.
13 East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HZ
Received 17 Oct 2017 - Decided17/460/LB
Cover existing lens, install four LED lanterns and solar panels, and minor alterations to accommodation block.
Copinsay Lighthouse, Copinsay Island, East Mainland, Orkney KW17 2QH
Received 17 Oct 2017 - Decided17/461/LB
Replace windows and rain water goods
Ivy House, 43 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 18 Oct 2017 - Decided17/462/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump
Chingliebrae Cottage, St Ola, Orkney
Received 20 Oct 2017 - Decided17/463/PP
Replace doors and windows and lay flagstones
31 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 23 Oct 2017 - Decided17/464/LB
Replace doors and windows and lay flagstones
31 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 23 Oct 2017 - Decided17/465/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic, erect an outbuilding, install turf roofs and extend a house
South Hamar, Tuquoy Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 24 Oct 2017 - Decided17/466/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Cairnton (Land Near), Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 25 Oct 2017 - Decided17/467/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Muckle Twiness (Land Near), Toab, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 26 Oct 2017 - Decided17/468/PP
Install replacement telecommunications tower, antennas, ground based apparatus and ancillary equipment
Wideford Hill Radio Mast, Wideford Hill, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TS
Received 27 Oct 2017 - Decided17/470/HH
Erect a garage/boat store
Alversund, Howaback Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JA
Received 30 Oct 2017 - Decided17/471/PP
Erect replacement house with air source heat pump and detached garage and create an access
Quindry (Land Near), St Margarets Hope, Orkney
Received 30 Oct 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