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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 14 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided15/235/PP
Erect stone wall to form memorial
Kitchener Memorial, Birsay, Orkney
Received 5 May 2015 - Decided15/236/PP
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
6 Jubilee Court (Plot 6) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XR
Received 5 May 2015 - Decided15/237/PP
Extend a house to include integral garage
Widewall View, Widewall, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TG
Received 5 May 2015 - Decided15/238/PP
Erect a garage
22 Garrioch Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PL
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/239/PP
Erect a house with integral garage (subdivision of domestic curtilage), install an air source heat pump and create an access
Bayview, Berstane Lodge Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/240/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access (amendment to approval of 14/324/AMC)
Rubiquoy (Land Near), Biggings Road, Toab, Orkney
Received 6 May 2015 - Withdrawn/Returned15/241/PP
Extend a cemetery, erect a walled enclosure and set concrete plinths for gravestones
Scar Cemetery (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/242/APN
Erect a GP Shed
Noltland, Noup Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DW
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/243/PP
Remove dash render, lime harl walls, and replace shop windows and door
17 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/244/LB
Remove dash render, lime harl walls, replace shop windows and door and display signage
17 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 6 May 2015 - Decided15/245/PP
Install replacement windows and doors, replace roof coverings, install stone skews, form pitched roof over rear wing and display fixed and projecting signage
64 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 7 May 2015 - Decided15/246/AD
Display an illuminated pole sign, two internally illuminated entrance signs, an internally illuminated wall sign and a wall mounted sign
Vauxhall Marness Garage, Scapa Brae, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 7 May 2015 - Decided15/247/PP
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
2 Burnett Brae (Plot 5) (Land Near), Watersfield, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LY
Received 11 May 2015 - Decided15/248/PP
Fence over three existing gate openings and create two alternative openings to provide access to farm (retrospective)
Oaklea (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 11 May 2015 - Decided15/249/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Ferry View, 11A Grieveship Terrace, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AY
Received 11 May 2015 - Decided15/250/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m) (to supersede planning approval 12/548/TPP to erect a 15kW wind turbine (max height 21m))
Maralodge (Land Near), Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HZ
Received 12 May 2015 - Decided15/251/PP
Reinstate former house to create a self-catering unit and create an access
Hillside, Rapness, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 12 May 2015 - Decided15/252/PP
Reinstate a house and extend, install an air source heat pump, erect a shed and greenhouse and form parking area
St Clair Cottage, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DH
Received 13 May 2015 - Decided15/254/PP
Extend a house
Langadale, Quholm Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HU
Received 14 May 2015 - Decided15/255/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Norvista (Land Near), Shapinsay. Orkney
Received 15 May 2015 - Decided15/256/PP
Erect a garage
Hayburn, Littlequoy Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 15 May 2015 - Decided15/257/EB
Install a 11kV overhead electricity line
Crookhutcheon (Land Near), Bigswell Road, Stenness, Orkney
Received 15 May 2015 - Decided15/258/PP
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
3 Station Square, St Marys, Holm, Orkney KW17 2SE
Received 18 May 2015 - Decided15/259/TPP
Erect 2 x 6kW wind turbines (max height 17.8m)
Cleat, Cleat Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AJ
Received 18 May 2015
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