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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided12/806/AMC
Erect a house with air source heat pump and create an access (following permission in principle - 11/196/PIP)
Whitecleat (Plot 1) (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 20 Dec 2012 - Decided12/807/PP
Erect a 1.8m high wooden post and wire mesh fence around a storage area
1 Garson Place (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3EE
Received 21 Dec 2012 - Decided13/001/TPP
Amend planning permission 08/491/PPF to extend the consent for 25 years
Gallowhill (Land Near), Westray, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 3 Jan 2013 - Decided13/002/PP
Install a 10kW ground mounted solar array
S & J D Robertson Group Ltd (Land Near), Dunkirk, Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LG
Received 4 Jan 2013 - Decided13/003/PP
Erect a marquee as an occasional use venue
6 Broad Street (Courtyard To Rear), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX
Received 8 Jan 2013 - Decided13/004/MAR
Install a 220 tonne capacity automated feed barge to the south end of the site
Bay Of Cleat North, Westray, Orkney
Received 9 Jan 2013 - Decided13/005/MAR
Install a 220 tonne capacity automated feed barge to the west end of the site
Vestness, South West Of Papa Westray, Orkney
Received 9 Jan 2013 - Decided13/006/PP
Install an air source heat pump
92 Grieveship West, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BQ
Received 10 Jan 2013 - Decided13/007/PP
Erect 6 semi-detached houses and associated site works
Westermill (Land Near), Burray, Orkney
Received 10 Jan 2013 - Decided13/008/TPP
Erect a retail shop with two air source heat pumps, fuel pumps with above ground storage tanks, erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m), install a septic tank and soakaway and create access and parking area
Skelbister (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BJ
Received 10 Jan 2013 - Decided13/009/PP
Erect pitched roof over existing garage
Ardconnel, Ontoft Road, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TL
Received 14 Jan 2013 - Decided13/010/PIP
Demolish 3 farm buildings and siting of 2 houses
Quoynamoan (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3HH
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Decided13/011/PP
Install an air source heat pump
The Byre, Goltaquoy, Rapness, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Decided13/012/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Latherbare (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Decided13/013/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Boondatoon (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/015/TPP
Erect 2 x 900kW wind turbines (max height 67m), switchgear buildings, create access track and associated works
Ore Brae (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Decided13/016/PP
Erect a general purpose shed
Diamonds Farm, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 15 Jan 2013 - Decided13/017/PP
Extend a house and erect a detached garage
Pool Cottage, Aikerskaill Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 16 Jan 2013 - Decided13/018/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Rossmyre (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney
Received 16 Jan 2013 - Decided13/019/LB
Alterations to accompany reinstatement of residential use - installation of replacement timber sash and case windows, and doors; replacement cast iron rainwater goods; alterations to internal structural walls for revised floor plan; interior insulation; and reinstate interior finishes
Garson House, Stromness, Orkney
Received 16 Jan 2013 - Decided13/020/PP
Reinstate a house; install replacement timber sash and case windows and timber doors; install cast iron rainwater goods and create an access track
Garson House, Stromness, Orkney
Received 16 Jan 2013 - Decided13/021/PP
Remove topsoil and replace with compacted hardcore to form additional hardstanding for storage purposes
Grainshore Drive (Sites H69 & H71) (Land Near), Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/022/PP
Extend a house including integral double garage
Grindigar, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/023/VR
Vary condition 2 of planning permission 11/238/TPP to change turbine nacelle and blade colour from grey to white
Teeoquoy (Land Near), Ireland Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3EZ
Received 17 Jan 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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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