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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided13/322/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Linnabrake (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AT
Received 5 Aug 2013 - Decided13/323/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 15m)
Windbreck (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AF
Received 6 Aug 2013 - Decided13/324/PP
Erect a replacement house and create an access track
Hass (Land Near), Jubidee Road, Evie, Orkney
Received 6 Aug 2013 - Decided13/325/PPMAJ
Erect 2 houses, erect 10 semi-detached houses, erect 13 terraced houses, create 13 serviced sites, create access road, parking areas and footpaths/cycleways
Watersfield (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 7 Aug 2013 - Decided13/326/PP
Erect 4 semi-detached houses and create means of access
Marston Road (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 7 Aug 2013 - Decided13/327/PP
Demolish existing and erect a replacement agricultural building
Quanterness Farm, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TY
Received 7 Aug 2013 - Decided13/328/PP
Change of use from a gallery to a house
The Strond, St Marys, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RT
Received 8 Aug 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/329/TPN
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Quoybanks (Land Near), North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BG
Received 9 Aug 2013 - Decided13/330/PP
Erect a 1.8m high wooden fence
1 Weyland Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LP
Received 12 Aug 2013 - Decided13/331/PP
Reinstate derelict house, erect an additional house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Meron, Harray, Orkney
Received 12 Aug 2013 - Decided13/332/PP
Erect a house and install an air source heat pump and create an access
South Farahouse (Land Near), Eday, Orkney
Received 13 Aug 2013 - Decided13/333/LB
Install replacement fixed fendering system
Golden Wharf/Lyness Pier, Lyness, Hoy, Orkney
Received 13 Aug 2013 - Decided13/334/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m) (To supersede planning permission 08/096/PPF)
Lapwing (Land Near), Onziebust Road, Egilsay, Orkney, KW17 2QD
Received 14 Aug 2013 - Decided13/335/PP
Erect an integral workshop
Clairlea, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QR
Received 14 Aug 2013 - Decided13/336/EB
Install additional pole on existing 11kV overhead line
Nouster (Land Near), North Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 15 Aug 2013 - Decided13/337/VR
Vary condition 1 of planning permission 08/458/PPF to extend consent to erect a replacement house
Garth (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 16 Aug 2013 - Decided13/338/PP
Paint windows, doors and external walls, install double-glazed units in existing window frames and install roof vents
11 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 16 Aug 2013 - Decided13/339/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Comelybank (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AF
Received 16 Aug 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/340/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Boondatoon (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 16 Aug 2013 - Decided13/341/PP
Install replacement door, paint windows, remove bars from one window and replace and paint rainwater goods
Earls Palace Dental Centre, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PD
Received 19 Aug 2013 - Decided13/342/LB
Install replacement door, paint windows, remove bars from one window, replace and paint rainwater goods and display a sign
Earls Palace Dental Centre, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PD
Received 19 Aug 2013 - Decided13/343/PP
Reinstate and change of use of former bothy to self-catering accommodation
Brough House (The Gig House), Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 19 Aug 2013 - Decided13/344/PP
Erect a replacement house with air source heat pump and create an access (Amendment to planning permission 12/506/PP)
Trowietoon (Land Near), Geo Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 20 Aug 2013 - Decided13/345/PP
Extend existing slatted court to provide cattle housing and slurry store
Quoylonga, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NA
Received 21 Aug 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
All planning guides
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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