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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/133/PP
Install replacement timber windows and buff fireclay ridge tiles
Old Bank House, 32 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 24 Mar 2014 - Decided14/134/PP
Erect a 7m high x 0.5m wide lattice mast for broadband connectivity
Midland Radar Station (Land Near), Hill Of Midland, Orphir, Orkney
Received 27 Mar 2014 - Decided14/135/PP
Extend a house
Ourigaire, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 27 Mar 2014 - Decided14/136/LB
Display signage
Pier Arts Centre, 28 - 36 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/137/PP
Install 3 air source heat pumps
S & JD Robertson Group, Dunkirk, Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LG
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/138/AMC
Erect 5 houses, including two with integral garages and create an access (following permission in principle 13/090/PIP)
Wilderness (Land Near), Holm, Orkney
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/139/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
West Silverhall (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BL
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/140/PP
Erect a workshop, offices and store; create external assembly and laydown areas; construct car park and means of access; and erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Hatston Pier (Land Near), Hatston Pier Road Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/141/PP
Erect a workshop, offices and store; create external assembly and laydown areas; and construct car park and means of access
Lyness Industrial Estate (Land Near), Lyness, Orkney
Received 28 Mar 2014 - Decided14/142/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
Highland Park House (Land Near), Lynn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 31 Mar 2014 - Decided14/143/PP
Erect a sun room
9 Quoybanks Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1ES
Received 31 Mar 2014 - Decided14/144/PP
Change of use from a former school to accommodation, extend and alter a house and create a granny flat
Midbea Schoolhouse & Midbea School, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DP
Received 1 Apr 2014 - Decided14/145/PP
Demolish a redundant house, erect a replacement house with integral double garage incorporating a private studio and create an access
Hardhill (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney
Received 1 Apr 2014 - Decided14/146/PIP
Siting of 4 houses and create an access
Hill Of Heddle (Land Near), Heddle Road, Finstown, Orkney
Received 2 Apr 2014 - Decided14/147/AMC
Erect a house with an air source heat pump (following permission in principle - 13/010/PIP - which requires prior demolition of three existing farm buildings)
Quoynamoan (Site 1) (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3HH
Received 2 Apr 2014 - Decided14/148/PP
Demolish outbuilding, extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Barnhouse, Community Centre Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 2 Apr 2014 - Decided14/149/PP
Extend a house including integral garage
Ploverhall, Georth Road, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 3 Apr 2014 - Decided14/150/PP
Change of use from a community centre to a dwelling, shop and cafe and minor external alterations
Old Birsay Community Centre, Community Centre Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 3 Apr 2014 - Decided14/151/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Hutter, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HU
Received 3 Apr 2014 - Decided14/152/EB
Install a 33kV overhead line to provide electricity to New Holland Wind Generating Station
New Holland (Land Near), Holm, Orkney
Received 3 Apr 2014 - Decided14/153/PP
Reinstate a house and extend
Savedale Cottage, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JE
Received 4 Apr 2014 - Decided14/154/PP
Erect lean-to extension with glass roof, convert a window to a door, install replacement window, paint walls and install an air source heat pump
44 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 4 Apr 2014 - Decided14/155/PP
Change of use from a house to a guest house (retrospective)
Hildeval, Work Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Apr 2014 - Decided14/156/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage, install ground source heat pump and create an access
Netherbigging (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3JX
Received 7 Apr 2014
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