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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/303/PP
Extend and partly rebuild a house and install an air source heat pump
Aikerness, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2NH
Received 21 Jul 2014 - Decided14/304/PP
Install a telecommunications box
School Place/Thoms Street Car Park (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JQ
Received 15 Jul 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/305/PP
Install a telecommunications box
1 Dundas Crescent (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JQ
Received 15 Jul 2014 - Decided14/306/PP
Demolish existing house, erect a replacement house with integral garage
Bon-Accord (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3HZ
Received 21 Jul 2014 - Decided14/307/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Rowhilage (Land Near), St Marys, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RT
Received 22 Jul 2014 - Decided14/309/PN
Install a telecommunications box
5B Seafield (Land Near), Finstown, Orkney, KW17 2EW
Received 22 Jul 2014 - Decided14/308/PP
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
3 Burnett Brae (Plot 2) (Land Near), Watersfield, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 22 Jul 2014 - Decided14/310/LB
Remove cement render, cement tiles on porch roof and UPVC rainwater goods, and install a lime harl, Welsh slates, cast metal rainwater goods, and a stove and flue
St John's Church, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NY
Received 23 Jul 2014 - Decided14/311/PP
Change of use from a house into a bed and breakfast guest house (retrospective) erect extensions and create additional parking
6 Lynn Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SL
Received 24 Jul 2014 - Decided14/312/PP
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
7 Grimsetter Drive (Plot C) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 24 Jul 2014 - Decided14/313/PP
Erect a house with integral garage (subdivision of domestic curtilage) and install an air source heat pump
Quarrybanks, Pow Road, Sandwick, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JD
Received 24 Jul 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/314/PP
Erect a house (subdivision of domestic curtilage), install an air source heat pump and create an access
Kilkerran, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2HF
Received 24 Jul 2014 - Decided14/315/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Veniver, Sunnybank Road, St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TP
Received 28 Jul 2014 - Decided14/316/PP
Erect a curved listening wall and form access paths to existing car parking area
Loons Reserve, Birsay, Orkney
Received 28 Jul 2014 - Decided14/317/PP
Import soil for agricultural benefit
Eastaquoy Cottage (Land Near), Lyde Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LA
Received 29 Jul 2014 - Decided14/320/PN
Remove 4 antenna, install 3 antenna and 3 remote radio units on existing mast
Maraquoy Mast, Bruna Lea Hill, Stromness Orkney, KW16 3JU
Received 30 Jul 2014 - Decided14/318/APN
Erect a GP shed
Veltan, Lochside Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NR
Received 30 Jul 2014 - Decided14/319/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Glenorkney, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 30 Jul 2014 - Decided14/321/PP
Erect a bird viewing shelter, form a path and create a disabled car parking space with a turning head area
Burgar Hill Reserve, Evie, Orkney
Received 31 Jul 2014 - Decided14/322/LB
Display a sign
4 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX
Received 31 Jul 2014 - Decided14/323/PN
Remove 2 antennas, install 3 antenna, 4 transmission dishes, 3 remote radio units on existing mast and install ancillary ground based apparatus
Kirkwall Telephone Exchange, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 1 Aug 2014 - Decided14/324/AMC
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access (following permission in principle - 12/227/PIP)
Rubiquoy (Land Near), Biggings Road, Toab, Orkney
Received 4 Aug 2014 - Decided14/325/PP
Deposit stone and concrete to strengthen coastal defences and prevent erosion (retrospective)
The Ayre Of Myers, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AE
Received 4 Aug 2014 - Decided14/326/PN
Demolish timber framed buildings
Orevik, Lyness, Hoy, Orkney
Received 5 Aug 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
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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