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 dates11,977Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,072 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,638 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 12 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided10/473/PP
Amend planning consent 10/200/PP to alter roof
Tosjca, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3JX
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/474/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Cott Of Myre (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/475/PP
Erect a house for a farm worker
Work, St. Ola, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/476/AMC
Erect a house with integral garage and a garden shed and create new access
Quoys (Land Near), Westray, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/477/PP
Extend a house
Sandihall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/478/LB
Convert outbuilding to create ancillary accommodation to adjacent house
5 Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BU
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/479/PP
Demolish existing buildings, erect a commercial building, and a house with an integral double garage
Orkney Seafayre (Land Near), Grimbister, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TU
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/480/PP
Erect a house with a detached garage and install air source heat pump
Weyland Drive (Plot 10) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/481/PP
Convert an outbuilding to a house
Wilderness, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/482/PP
Demolish shed and extend a house
Rock O' Cleary, Lyness, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NS
Received 7 Sept 2010 - Decided10/483/PP
Erect a house
North Rendall (Land Near), Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/484/VR
Vary condition 4 of planning consent 03/393/PPF to retain former house for use as store
Duntroon, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/485/PP
Amend planning consent 09/303/PPF to install an air source heat pump, add Velux windows and glazed doors, relocate a window, clad part of gable with natural stone and carry out various internal works
7 Soulisquoy Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BY
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/486/PP
Extend a house, re-roof and refurbish outbuilding to form a guest apartment and erect a wind turbine (max. height 15m)
Goltaquoy, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/487/PP
Erect 3 x 10kw wind turbines (max. height 19.1m)
Stenso, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/488/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 18m)
Stonehall, Deerness, Orkney
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/489/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 39m)
Banks, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 10 Sept 2010 - Decided10/490/PP
Modify existing two houses to create three separate dwellings
Chalmersquoy, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BZ
Received 13 Sept 2010 - Decided10/491/PP
Convert and extend outbuilding to create ancillary accommodation to adjacent house
16 Old Scapa Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BB
Received 13 Sept 2010 - Decided10/492/PP
Demolish existing extension, erect a new extension and replace windows and gate
The Sycamores, 23 Church Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BA
Received 13 Sept 2010 - Decided10/493/PP
Extend a house
Orkadene, Downies Lane, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3EP
Received 14 Sept 2010 - Decided10/494/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Mount, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PF
Received 14 Sept 2010 - Decided10/495/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Park, Lyness, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NY
Received 14 Sept 2010 - Decided10/496/PP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 15m)
Nessbreck, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LQ
Received 14 Sept 2010
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
All planning guides
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
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