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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided13/024/PP
Renew Welsh slate and Orkney slate roof coverings; and install replacement dormers, including timber double-glazed windows
21 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/025/PP
Erect a slatted byre to comprise cattle housing with underground slurry storage tank
Housebay, Holland Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AJ
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/026/PP
Install an aerial to the rear of the building
H M Coastguard, Industrial Estate Road, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TJ
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/027/PP
Install an aerial to the rear of the building
Coastguard Rescue Station, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/028/S36SCO
Scoping opinion request for proposed Section 36 application for the Marwick Head Wave Farm
Marwick Head, Orkney
Received 14 Jan 2013 - Decided13/029/MARSCO
Sreening and scoping opinion request to amend proposed site to develop a salmon site to the west of Glimps Holm in Scapa Flow
West Glimps Holm, West Of Glimps Holm, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/030/MARAUD
Audit of marine finfish farm on site at Scarfhall Point (consent by Crown Estates - prior to 2007)
Scarfhall Point, Westray, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/031/MARAUD
Audit of marine finfish farm on site at Ouseness (consent by Crown Estates - prior to 2007)
Ouse Ness, Papa Sound, Westray Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/032/MARAUD
Audit of marine finfish farm on site at Vestness (consent by Crown Estates - prior to 2007)
Vestness, Papa Sound, Papa Westray, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/033/MARAUD
Audit of marine finfish farm on site at Bay Of Cleat South (consent by Crown Estates - prior to 2007)
Bay Of Cleat South, Westray, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/034/MARAUD
Audit of marine finfish farm on site at Bay Of Cleat North (consent by Crown Estates - prior to 2007)
Bay Of Cleat North, Westray, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2013 - Decided13/035/PP
Extend a house
Lower Cassie, Sunnybank Road, St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TP
Received 18 Jan 2013 - Decided13/036/PP
Erect a detached garage
Glebe, Scorradale Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RF
Received 18 Jan 2013 - Decided13/037/SCO
Scoping opinion request to erect 1 x 900kW wind turbine (max height 67m) and 3 x 3MW wind turbines (max height 120m)
Hammars Hill Wind Farm (Land Near), Evie, Orkney
Received 18 Jan 2013 - Decided13/038/PP
Erect a slatted court and create an access
Whitehall Farm, Stronsay, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2013 - Decided13/039/PP
Demolish existing house, erect a replacement house and install an air source heat pump
Scarrataing (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2013 - Decided13/040/PN
Install a 11kV electricity pole and 11kV overhead line
Banks (Land Near), Cleat, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 22 Jan 2013 - Decided13/041/PP
Install an air source heat pump
2 & 4 Wellington Street (Former Garage), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AY
Received 22 Jan 2013 - Decided13/042/LB
Install an air source heat pump
2 & 4 Wellington Street (Former Garage), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AY
Received 22 Jan 2013 - Decided13/043/PP
Extend a workshop
The Orkney Furniture Maker, Craigiefield Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UF
Received 22 Jan 2013 - Decided13/044/PP
Erect a property to provide shared residential accommodation and construct parking area
Former Black Building (Land Near), Berstane Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 22 Jan 2013 - Decided13/045/APN
Erect a GP shed
Garth, Netherbrough, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LE
Received 23 Jan 2013 - Decided13/046/PP
Install an air source heat pump
22 The Quadrant, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NF
Received 23 Jan 2013 - Decided13/047/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump (amendment to approval of 10/625/AMC)
Parkhouse (Site 1) (Land Near), Grimness, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 23 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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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