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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided11/463/PP
Construct new cartridge filter building and additional site works including improvements to existing vehicular access
Rousay School Water Treatment Works (Land Near) Off The B9064, Braes, Rousay, Orkney
Received 29 Aug 2011 - Decided11/464/TPP
Amend planning permission 11/220/TPP to change turbine type (max. height 19.1m)
Garth (Land Near), St. Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 30 Aug 2011 - Decided11/465/TPP
Amend planning permission 10/419/PP to change turbines type (max. height 18m)
Skirlo (Land Near), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney,
Received 30 Aug 2011 - Withdrawn/Returned11/466/PP
Erect a house and relocate existing livery business
Tufta, Harray
Received 30 Aug 2011 - Decided11/467/PP
Erect a shed
Ivydene, (Land Near), Village Road, Burray Village, Burray, KW17 2SS
Received 31 Aug 2011 - Decided11/468/PP
Erect a slatted byre
South Cara, (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TH
Received 31 Aug 2011 - Decided11/469/PP
Erect a garage
Muirfield, (Land Near), Woodstock Road Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 31 Aug 2011 - Withdrawn/Returned11/470/LB
Re-harl external walls, repair roof, install skylights, replace glazed timber roof with glazed aluminium, replace sliding door with door and window, install flues, replace rainwater goods, and internal works to replace floors, remove partitions, insulate walls, and install domestic fittings
Existing Flat & Adjoining Store, Skaill House, Sandwick, Stromness, KW16 3LR
Received 31 Aug 2011 - Decided11/471/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump
Grainbank (Plot 3) (Land Near), Kirkwall
Received 1 Sept 2011 - Decided11/472/PP
Change of use from former shop and post office to 2 houses and install 2 air source heat pumps
Westerlea, Village Road, Burray Village, Burray, Orkney KW17 2SS
Received 1 Sept 2011 - Decided11/473/PP
Extend a house
Westshore, Westshore Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 1 Sept 2011 - Decided11/474/PP
Extend existing slatted court
Maesquoy Farm, Harray, KW17 2LE
Received 2 Sept 2011 - Decided11/475/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 27.2m)
Whinber (Land Near), Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/476/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 27.2m)
Netherfiold (Land Near), Aikerness Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Withdrawn/Returned11/477/PP
Change of use of store to self-catering flat, re-harl walls, install rooflights, re-roof conservatory, and replace garage door
Existing Flat & Adjoining Store, Skaill House, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/478/LB
Remove ground floor pews and church organ and store within the building, erect a temporary mezzanine floor, install a temporary storage/office module, and remove damaged lime plaster to facilitate restoration works
Former United Free Church, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/479/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 18.2m)
Roy (Land Near), Cornquoy Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/480/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (max. height 18m)
Northfield Farm (Land Near), Burray, Orkney, KW 17 2SD
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/481/PP
Erect a house and install an air source heat pump
Crulynn, (Land Near), Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/482/PP
Install an air source heat pump
2 Sutherland Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1EX
Received 6 Sept 2011 - Decided11/483/PP
Install solar panels
Redroof Cottage, South End, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DJ
Received 7 Sept 2011 - Decided11/484/EB
Deviation and extension of the existing 11,000 volt overhead line
Waterhall (Land Near), Harray, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2011 - Decided11/485/AD
Display a sign
Commercial Union House, Castle Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DF
Received 7 Sept 2011 - Decided11/486/PP
Extend a house
Free School House, Deerness, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 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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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