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9,638 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided11/092/TPP
Amend planning permission 10/522/PP to change turbine type (max. height 18.2m)
Cauldhame, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Decided11/093/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Cumminess Farm (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Decided11/094/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Cumminess Farm (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Decided11/095/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Lower Bu (Land Near), Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Decided11/096/VR
Vary condition 3 of outline planning permission 08/206/PPO to extend the consent for the siting of a replacement house
Quindry (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Decided11/097/PP
Amend planning permission 10/417/PP to construct lean-to GP shed extensions to existing approved slatted court
Braebuster, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 24 Feb 2011 - Withdrawn/Returned11/099/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 27m)
Breck, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 25 Feb 2011 - Decided11/100/PP
Convert adjoining barn to a granny annex
The Bu, Hoxa, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TW
Received 25 Feb 2011 - Decided11/101/TPP
Extend a house and erect a wind turbine (max. height 18m)
Easthouse Toab Orkney KW17 2QG
Received 25 Feb 2011 - Decided11/102/TPP
Remove 3 existing wind turbines and erect 5 new wind turbines (max. height 100m) with associated hard standing, access tracks, operations building, temporary laydown area and extension to existing substation
Spurness, Sanday, Orkney
Received 25 Feb 2011 - Decided11/103/PP
Reinstate, re-roof and refurbish house
Glower O'er Him, Flotta, Orkney, KW16 3NP
Received 28 Feb 2011 - Decided11/104/PP
Stone extraction for a temporary period for the purposes of a renewable energy project
Witter Quarry Hoy Orkney
Received 28 Feb 2011 - Decided11/105/PP
Erect a holiday cottage with an air source heat pump and form a new access
Land Between Tirlot & Ervadale Cottage, Sourin, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 28 Feb 2011 - Decided11/106/PP
Extend a house and form a new doorway
Newbigging, Coo Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 1 Mar 2011 - Decided11/107/TPP
Amend planning permission 10/471/PP to change type of wind turbine and reduce number to 1 (max. height 27.2m)
Tifter, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DR
Received 1 Mar 2011 - Decided11/108/VR
Vary condition 2 of outline planning permission 08/035/PPO to extend consent for the siting of a house
Sparrowhall (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 2 Mar 2011 - Decided11/110/PP
Extend a house
Iona, 16 Lynn Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SL
Received 2 Mar 2011 - Decided11/111/PP
Erect a new silo and roof over an existing silo
Hammer, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 2 Mar 2011 - Decided11/112/PP
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
Hoxa Tapestry, Neviholm, Hoxa, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TW
Received 2 Mar 2011 - Decided11/113/PP
Amend planning permission 10/226/AMC to change house type and install an air source heat pump
Sunnybank (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 4 Mar 2011 - Decided11/114/AMC
Erect a house
Crulynn (Land Near), Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Mar 2011 - Decided11/115/EB
Install an additional pole
Smithstown, Shapinsay, Orkney
Received 4 Mar 2011 - Decided11/116/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Winksetter Farm (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 7 Mar 2011 - Decided11/117/PP
Amend planning permission 08/153/PPF to change house type and erect a detached double garage
Oglaby Branch Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney
Received 7 Mar 2011
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 permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
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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