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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/351/PP
Create a vehicular access
Easkbank, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3EY
Received 26 Aug 2014 - Decided14/352/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Malourie (Land Near), 11 Wellington Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AY
Received 26 Aug 2014 - Decided14/354/PP
Demolish existing and erect a replacement house with integral garage, install air source heat pump, erect a shed and create an access
The Cabin, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 28 Aug 2014 - Decided14/355/PP
Install 6 lighting columns
Former West Mainland Auction Mart Site, Ferry Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 1 Sept 2014 - Decided14/356/PP
Vary external finishes of approved house (12/064/PP) (part retrospective)
27 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 1 Sept 2014 - Decided14/357/AMC
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access (following permission in principle - 11/607/PIP)
Clestrain (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney
Received 2 Sept 2014 - Decided14/358/PP
Extend a house
Veskyer, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3HZ
Received 3 Sept 2014 - Decided14/359/PP
Erect an agricultural building and extend existing slatted byre to provide bedded court
Waltness, Sandyhill Road, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DY
Received 3 Sept 2014 - Decided14/360/AMC
Erect 2 houses and 22 semi-detached houses and create an access road (following permission in principle Major - 14/269/PIPMAJ)
Walliwall (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Sept 2014 - Decided14/361/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Kingerley, Hornersquoy, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BG
Received 5 Sept 2014 - Decided14/362/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
The Willows (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NY
Received 5 Sept 2014 - Decided14/363/PP
Change of use of outbuilding to a residential unit and installation of air source heat pump (retrospective)
The Old Post Office, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BZ
Received 8 Sept 2014 - Decided14/364/PP
Erect 6 semi-detached houses and create an access road
Birness (Land Near), Swartland Road, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2JQ
Received 8 Sept 2014 - Decided14/365/APN
Extend a GP shed
Stenaday, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JT
Received 9 Sept 2014 - Decided14/366/LB
Display a sign, install a notice display board and paint door
Kirkwall Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 9 Sept 2014 - Decided14/367/PP
Alterations to outbuilding to provide additional accommodation and install an air source heat pump
Mayfield, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 11 Sept 2014 - Decided14/368/PP
Erect a detached garage
Quindry (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 11 Sept 2014 - Decided14/369/PP
Remove uPVC windows and install timber door and sash and case windows
44 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 12 Sept 2014 - Decided14/370/PP
Install an additional dormer window (amendment to approval of 14/204/PP)
Thorsdell, 3 Annfield Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1FR
Received 12 Sept 2014 - Decided14/371/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
Longabar (Land Near), The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 12 Sept 2014 - Decided14/372/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Blinkbonnie (Land Near), Cloke Road, Birsay, KW17 2HY
Received 15 Sept 2014 - Decided14/373/PP
Change of use from a store to heritage, arts and craft centre and install external handrail and an air source heat pump
Store, Nouster Pier, Papa Westray, Orkney
Received 16 Sept 2014 - Decided14/374/LB
Install an air source heat pump, install handrail to external staircase, install sash and case window in existing opening, install glazed lobby door, erect internal walls and install doors, install internal window shutters, install internal staircase and mezzanine floor and ancillary interior alterations
Store, Nouster Pier, Papa Westray, Orkney
Received 16 Sept 2014 - Decided14/375/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump (amendment to house approved in accordance with extant planning permission 12/276/AMC)
Cott Of Myre (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney
Received 17 Sept 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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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