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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided13/468/LB
Install a street name plate
91 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BU
Received 6 Nov 2013 - Decided13/469/LB
Install a street name plate
45 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 6 Nov 2013 - Decided13/470/PP
Erect a house (subdivision of domestic curtilage) and install an air source heat pump
Kenwood, Nearhouse Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JT
Received 7 Nov 2013 - Decided13/471/LB
Physical alterations to facilitate change of use to visitor centre and caf�: remove pews, paint pine dado panelling, remove stained glass windows and install replacement timber windows, enlarge two window openings to form doorways, install staircase and mezzanine floor, erect lean-to extension with slate roof and fully-glazed walls and paint all exterior walls
Former St Andrews Kirk, The Old Schoolhouse, Tankerness, Orkney,
Received 8 Nov 2013 - Decided13/472/TC
Crown reduction of 2 trees
57 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 11 Nov 2013 - Decided13/473/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
10 Broadsands Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BP
Received 12 Nov 2013 - Decided13/474/PP
Install replacement double glazed timber sash and case windows
Hopemount, 19 Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PA
Received 12 Nov 2013 - Decided13/475/PP
Install a fire escape and new door openings and create a covered shelter
The Shore Hotel, Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LG
Received 12 Nov 2013 - Decided13/477/PP
Repair to existing and installation of additional gabion mattress protection to pipeline
Rumley Point (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, KW17 2TH
Received 13 Nov 2013 - Decided13/478/PP
Temporary siting of a portable storage container (retrospective)
Billia Croo (Land Near) Outertown Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JP
Received 18 Nov 2013 - Decided13/479/TPP
Erect a 5KW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Cumminess Farm (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney
Received 15 Nov 2013 - Decided13/480/TPN
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 18m)
Upper Bossack (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QR
Received 18 Nov 2013 - Decided13/481/PP
Extend a house
Blinkbonny, Cleat Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AF
Received 18 Nov 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/482/TPP
Erect 3 x 5kW wind turbines (max height 17.8m)
Noltland (Land Near), Noup Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 19 Nov 2013 - Decided13/485/PP
Erect a sun porch
Smithquoy, Swartmill Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DD
Received 20 Nov 2013 - Decided13/486/PP
Demolish existing porch, erect a replacement porch, erect a link building and replace roof covering
Ivy Cottage, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DH
Received 20 Nov 2013 - Decided13/487/PP
Change of use from retail to office and install an air source heat pump
13 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 19 Nov 2013 - Withdrawn/Returned13/488/PP
Erect a house (subdivision of domestic curtilage) and install an air source heat pump, extend existing house and install an air source heat pump
Kitticks, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2PB
Received 19 Nov 2013 - Decided13/489/TPP
Erect a 20kW wind turbine (max height 27.2m)
Salmon Hatchery (Land Near), Sourin, Rousay, Orkney
Received 21 Nov 2013 - Decided13/490/PP
Install an air source heat pump
19 Soulisquoy Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TJ
Received 21 Nov 2013 - Decided13/491/PP
Demolish existing house, erect a replacement house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Redvald, Cromwell Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LN
Received 22 Nov 2013 - Decided13/492/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Vagaland, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 25 Nov 2013 - Decided13/493/LB
Install 12 replacement sash and case windows and install an air source heat pump
Vagaland, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 25 Nov 2013 - Decided13/494/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Chapelbrae (Land Near), Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DZ
Received 27 Nov 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