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
140Recorded 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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 13 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided12/104/TPP
Erect a 20kW wind turbine (max height 27.2m)
Souley (Land Near) Orphir Orkney KW17 2RB
Received 22 Feb 2012 - Decided12/105/PP
Change of use from a workshop back to a house, erect a conservatory and install 2 new windows
St Columbas House (Workshop) Whitehall Stronsay Orkney KW17 2AS
Received 22 Feb 2012 - Decided12/106/PN
Install an 11Kv overhead power line
Huan (Land Near) Sandwick Orkney
Received 22 Feb 2012 - Decided12/108/TPP
Erect a 900kW wind turbine (max height 67m), switchgear building and access track
Rennibister (Land Near) Firth Orkney
Received 22 Feb 2012 - Decided12/109/PP
Amend planning permission 07/393/PPF to erect a house with integral garage, air source heat pump and create an access
Fea Hill (Land Near) Tankerness Orkney KW17 2QS
Received 23 Feb 2012 - Decided12/110/TPP
Erect a 15kW wind turbine (max height 26.2m)
Whinber (Land Near) The Links Road Westray Orkney KW17 2DN
Received 23 Feb 2012 - Decided12/111/APN
Extend a GP shed
Howan Sandwick Orkney KW16 3HY
Received 23 Feb 2012 - Decided12/112/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Nethersands Cottage Denwick Road Deerness Orkney KW17 2QQ
Received 24 Feb 2012 - Decided12/115/TPP
Erect 2 x 20kW wind turbines (max height 27.2m)
Cott (Land Near) Rousay Orkney KW17 2PT
Received 27 Feb 2012 - Decided12/116/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Taftshurie (Land Near) Grimness South Ronaldsay Orkney KW17 2TH
Received 27 Feb 2012 - Decided12/117/TPP
Erect a 10kW wind turbine (max height 19.1m)
Purtabreck (Land Near) North Ronaldsay Orkney KW17 2BE
Received 27 Feb 2012 - Decided12/118/TPP
Erect a 10kW wind turbine (max height 19.1m)
Sangar (Land Near) North Ronaldsay Orkney KW17 2BG
Received 27 Feb 2012 - Decided12/119/TPP
Erect a 10kW wind turbine (max height 19m) and erect switchgear building
Daviston (Land Near) Holm Orkney KW17 2RZ
Received 27 Feb 2012 - Decided12/121/TPN
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 18m)
Newbigging (Land Near) Rapness Westray Orkney KW17 2DE
Received 28 Feb 2012 - Decided12/122/TPP
Erect 2 x 20kW wind turbines (max height 27.2m)
Howe Farm (Land Near) Harray Orkney KW17 2JR
Received 28 Feb 2012 - Decided12/123/LB
Erect lean-to extension within footprint of existing larger derelict extension
Howan Egilsay Orkney KW17 2QD
Received 24 Feb 2012 - Decided12/124/LB
Replace roof coverings and repoint and rebuilt some stonework
Bankburn Bigswell Road Stenness Stromness Orkney KW16 3LA
Received 1 Mar 2012 - Decided12/125/AD
Display four non-illuminated projecting signs
Orkney Housing Association 37 & 39A Victoria Street & 57 & 59 Junction Road Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1DN
Received 29 Feb 2012 - Decided12/126/LB
Display a non-illuminated projecting sign
Orkney Housing Association 37 Victoria Street Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1DN
Received 1 Mar 2012 - Withdrawn/Returned12/127/PP
Erect a bus garage and multi-activity area for community use
Community Hall Longhope Hoy Orkney KW16 3PA
Received 29 Feb 2012 - Decided12/128/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Breck (Land Near) South Ronaldsay Orkney
Received 29 Feb 2012 - Decided12/129/TPP
Amend planning permission 10/030/PP to change from a 6kW turbine (max. height 15m) to a 20kW turbine (max. height 27.2m)
Laga (Land Near) Evie Orkney KW17 2PF
Received 29 Feb 2012 - Decided12/130/TPP
Amend planning permission 10/031/PP to change from a 6kW turbine (max. height 15m) to a 20kW turbine (max. height 27.2m)
Henley (Land Near) Evie Orkney KW17 2PE
Received 29 Feb 2012 - Decided12/131/PP
Install an air source heat pump
3 Sutherland Drive Holm Orkney KW17 2SG
Received 1 Mar 2012
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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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