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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided13/097/PIP
Demolish redundant agricultural building and siting of a house
Graenngarth (Land Near), Berstane Loan, St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TA
Received 7 Mar 2013 - Decided13/098/PP
Erect a replacement house with air source heat pump and create an access
1 Wideford Cottage (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 7 Mar 2013 - Decided13/099/APN
Erect a GP shed
The Castle, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney
Received 11 Mar 2013 - Decided13/100/TPO
Crown reduction, crown thin and other minor pruning works
Nurse's House, Maitland Place, Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EQ
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/101/PP
Change of use from an agricultural/chapel building to arts/craft business
Sandybank (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AF
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/102/VR
Vary condition 1 of planning permission 11/084/VR to extend consent by 2 years for stone extraction and minor extension to working area
Liddle's Quarry, Scorradale Road, Orphir, Orkney
Received 7 Mar 2013 - Decided13/103/PP
Install an air source heat pump
1 Gaudiesback, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JW
Received 11 Mar 2013 - Decided13/104/PP
Create access and parking area
Denbrook, 34 Clay Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QQ
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/105/PP
Extend a house
Holland House, Main Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BG
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/106/LB
Demolish existing sun room; erect an extension with extensive glazing, and Welsh slate roof; and re-harl tower with lime render
Holland House, Main Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BG
Received 11 Mar 2013 - Decided13/107/PP
Extend a house
Kanlee, Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UE
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/108/SCR
Screening opinion request to erect a 80kW wind turbine (max height 28m)
Berryhill (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney
Received 12 Mar 2013 - Decided13/109/PP
Extend a house
Eskadale, Grandon Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2ER
Received 13 Mar 2013 - Decided13/110/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Noltland (Land Near), Noup Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 13 Mar 2013 - Decided13/111/PN
Install a substation
Berstane Loan (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 13 Mar 2013 - Decided13/112/PP
Renovate and extend former community centre to create a heritage centre
Former Community Centre, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BW
Received 13 Mar 2013 - Decided13/113/VR
Remove condition 3 of planning permission 06/596/PPF that limits occupation of the house to persons working in the neighbouring farm
Quilchena, Toab, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 14 Mar 2013 - Decided13/114/PP
Extend a house, erect an integral garage, and install an air source heat pump
Veniver, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DY
Received 15 Mar 2013 - Decided13/115/PP
Erect a store
J & W Tait, Sparrowhawk Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1GE
Received 15 Mar 2013 - Decided13/116/PP
Extend bus garage
J & V Coaches, 9 Garson Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3EE
Received 18 Mar 2013 - Decided13/117/PP
Extend a house
Springdale, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 19 Mar 2013 - Decided13/119/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 15m)
3 Lettan (Land Near), North Loch Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 20 Mar 2013 - Decided13/120/APN
Extend an agricultural storage building
Ocean View (Land Near), Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 20 Mar 2013 - Decided13/121/VR
Vary condition 3 of planning permission 10/049/PP to extend consent to erect a replacement house
Barm (Land Near), Redland Road, Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 20 Mar 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