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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided12/734/PP
Erect 32 houses with associated roads, parking, landscaping and boundary treatments
Peerie Sea Loan (Phase 3) (Land Near), Kirkwall
Received 7 Nov 2012 - Decided12/735/PP
Erect a restaurant and visitor centre and install a septic tank
Banks (Land Near), Cleat, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RW
Received 7 Nov 2012 - Decided12/736/PP
Erect a replacement house, erect ancillary outbuilding/office with air source heat pump and construct access and bridge
Upper Damaschool (Land Near), Evie, Orkney
Received 7 Nov 2012 - Decided12/737/SCR
Screening opinion consultation request to install a 7.5km 33kV overhead electricity line from Moss Road, Holm to Stembister Road, Toab
Barns Of Ayre Windfarm (Land Near) Moss Road, Holm To Stembister Road, Toab, Orkney
Received 30 Oct 2012 - Decided12/738/APN
Extend existing GP shed
Springdale, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 8 Nov 2012 - Decided12/739/PIP
Demolish existing house and siting of a replacement house
Millhouse (Land Near), Evie, Orkney
Received 8 Nov 2012 - Decided12/740/PIP
Siting of a house for a rural business
Lowerlands Of Midhouse (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TJ
Received 8 Nov 2012 - Decided12/741/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump
Weyland Drive (Plot 15) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1WW
Received 8 Nov 2012 - Decided12/742/PP
Amend planning permission 12/382/PP to change house and garage type, install an air source heat pump and create access
Standingstone (Land Near), Hillside, Burray, Orkney
Received 8 Nov 2012 - Decided12/743/PN
Demolish a house
Bangor, Cairston Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JS
Received 9 Nov 2012 - Decided12/744/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Rhyber, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 12 Nov 2012 - Decided12/745/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Old School (Land Near), Shapinsay, Orkney
Received 14 Nov 2012 - Decided12/746/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
8 Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1EQ
Received 14 Nov 2012 - Decided12/747/PP
Demolish existing garage and erect garage with accommodation above
Inch Garvie, 12 Reid Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UD
Received 15 Nov 2012 - Decided12/748/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Vindon, 13 Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PY
Received 16 Nov 2012 - Decided12/749/PP
Erect a storage shed
The Willows Takeaway, Willow Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NJ
Received 16 Nov 2012 - Decided12/750/PP
Install an improved sewage treatment plant
Skara Brae Visitor Centre, Skaill, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 3LR
Received 19 Nov 2012 - Decided12/752/PIP
Siting of a house
Wateringhouse (Land Near), Longhope, Hoy, Stromness, KW16 3PG
Received 20 Nov 2012 - Decided12/751/PIP
Siting of 6 houses
Brookfield (Land Near), Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NZ
Received 21 Nov 2012 - Decided12/753/PP
Upward extension of existing building to create additional floor
William Shearer, 71 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 21 Nov 2012 - Decided12/754/SCR
Screening opinion request to install a 6km 33kV underground electricity line from Stembister Road, Toab to Barns of Ayre, Deerness
Barns Of Ayre Windfarm (Land Near), Stembister Road, Toab To Barns Of Ayre, Deerness, Orkney
Received 20 Nov 2012 - Decided12/755/LB
Alterations to accompany reinstatement of residential use - re-roof with turf; replacement timber windows and doors; timber-clad extension; replacement floors; new interior insulation; alter room layout; also reinstate and re-roof outbuildings; and demolish neep shed
Quoys, Breckan Road, Graemsay, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3NG
Received 21 Nov 2012 - Decided12/756/PP
Reinstate a house and adjacent building; erect timber-clad extension, install new turf roof; install replacement timber windows and doors; refurbish and re-roof existing outbuildings
Quoys, Breckan Road, Graemsay, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3NG
Received 22 Nov 2012 - Withdrawn/Returned12/757/PP
Erect a shelter clad with turf over a tomb
Banks (Land Near), Cleat, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RW
Received 22 Nov 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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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