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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided13/196/PP
Extend community centre and construct paved areas, access steps, enclosing walls and windbreak fence.
Firth Community Centre, Maitland Place, Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EQ
Received 30 Apr 2013 - Decided13/197/LB
Install internal secondary glazing
33 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 1 May 2013 - Decided13/198/AMC
Erect a replacement house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access (following permission in principle - 13/013/PIP)
Boondatoon (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 2 May 2013 - Decided13/199/PP
Erect a communications mast (16m height) surmounted by a 2 metre pole for a micro wind turbine with 1.2 metre blades (max height 19.2 metres)
Rosecraigie (Land Near), Shapinsay, Orkney
Received 7 May 2013 - Decided13/200/AD
Display individually-mounted aluminium characters above doorway
4 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX
Received 7 May 2013 - Decided13/201/PP
Install replacement timber door and timber sash and case windows
4 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX
Received 7 May 2013 - Decided13/202/LB
Install replacement timber door and timber sash and case windows, and individually-mounted aluminium characters above doorway
4 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX
Received 7 May 2013 - Decided13/203/PN
Upgrade existing 11kv overhead line
Rennibister (Land Near), Firth, Orkney
Received 8 May 2013 - Decided13/204/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 15m)
Upper Stenaquoy (Land Near), Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 9 May 2013 - Decided13/205/PP
Install two outfall pipes and construct associated inlet and outlet headwalls
Whitehall (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney
Received 9 May 2013 - Decided13/206/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Greenfield (Land Near), Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney
Received 13 May 2013 - Decided13/207/PP
Install an air source heat pump
4 Clouston Corner, Stenness, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LB
Received 13 May 2013 - Decided13/208/PP
Widen existing vehicle access
Fjordhavn, Maitland Place, Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EQ
Received 14 May 2013 - Decided13/209/PP
Install an air source heat pump
3 Rosebank, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1WU
Received 14 May 2013 - Decided13/210/PP
Erect a house for a farm worker and create an access
South Flaws (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RW
Received 14 May 2013 - Decided13/211/PP
Erect a pottery workshop with an air source heat pump and create parking
Standing Stone (Land Near), Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 15 May 2013 - Decided13/212/PP
Erect a 200 kW ground mounted solar array, install a switchgear building and create an access track
Hatston Farm (Land Near), Hatston Park, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TZ
Received 16 May 2013 - Decided13/213/APN
Erect a GP shed
Fea, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 20 May 2013 - Decided13/214/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Bruntland (Land Near), Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SU
Received 20 May 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/215/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
New Brimbanks (Land Near), Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 20 May 2013 - Decided13/216/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Aboondariggs (Land Near), Ortie Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 20 May 2013 - Decided13/217/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Lodge (Land Near), Bay Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AN
Received 20 May 2013 - Decided13/218/PP
Demolish extension and erect replacement extension and install an air source heat pump
Hools Farm, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RH
Received 20 May 2013 - Decided13/219/PN
Demolish a vacant dwelling
Cot-On-Hill, Hill Road, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2EA
Received 21 May 2013
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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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