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
139Recorded 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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided11/290/APN
Erect a bedded court
Bu' Farm, Stronsay, Orkney
Received 16 May 2011 - Decided11/291/TPN
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 2.5m)
Mayback, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 16 May 2011 - Decided11/292/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump
Grainbank (Plot 18) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 19 May 2011 - Decided11/293/PP
Erect a wooden garage
Kirbister Schoolhouse, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RA
Received 19 May 2011 - Decided11/294/PP
Extend a house
West Howe, Howe Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NB
Received 19 May 2011 - Decided11/295/PP
Extend a slatted byre/GP shed
Grimbister Farm, Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TT
Received 19 May 2011 - Decided11/296/PP
Demolish existing house and erect a new house
Ferryhouse, Longhope, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3PG
Received 19 May 2011 - Decided11/297/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Tarristy, 9 Bellevue Park, Inganess Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XL
Received 20 May 2011 - Decided11/298/PP
Extend a house
Radlap, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2JB
Received 24 May 2011 - Withdrawn/Returned11/299/PIP
Siting of 5 detached and 2 semi-detached houses
Eastbrae (Land Near), Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 24 May 2011 - Decided11/300/PP
Extend a house
Aftonlea, St Margarets Hope, Orkney, KW17 2TG
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/301/PP
Extend a garage and construct a greenhouse
Kinvarra, Hillside Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HR
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/302/PP
Erect a memorial on an existing concrete base
Junction Of A961 & Access To Italian Chapel, Holm, Orkney
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/303/AD
Display a sign (retrospective)
67-69 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/304/LB
Display a new sign, paint windows, door and signage panel, and install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
67-69 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/305/PP
Display a new sign, paint windows, door and signage panel, and install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
67-69 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 26 May 2011 - Decided11/306/PP
Extend a house
Ferryhouse, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 27 May 2011 - Decided11/307/PP
Alter and extend a house
Upper Flat, Old Manse, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 27 May 2011 - Decided11/309/PP
Amend planning permission 10/272/PP to change house type
Greenfield House (Land Near), Toab, Orkney, KW17 2QN
Received 27 May 2011 - Decided11/308/LB
Demolish garage and erect a two-storey extension
Upper Flat, Old Manse, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 27 May 2011 - Decided11/310/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Howe Cottage, Howe Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JU
Received 30 May 2011 - Decided11/311/PP
Demolish existing extension, erect a new extension including a boat shed, re-roof with Welsh slate, install skylights, replace rainwater goods, amend openings, and install replacement door and windows
6 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 30 May 2011 - Decided11/312/CC
Demolish existing extension
6 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 30 May 2011 - Decided11/313/LB
Retain three replacement windows (varying specification approved previously in 09/482/LB) (retrospective)
Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY
Received 30 May 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 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