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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/376/S36SCO
Scoping opinion request for proposed Section 36 application for the Tidal Array at Lashy Sound, Eday
Lashy Sound, Eday, Orkney
Received 18 Sept 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/377/MAR
Create a salmon farming site, comprising 12 x 100m circumference cages, 2 x 6 in a 70m grid and include a 200t feed barge
Glimps Holm, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 19 Sept 2014 - Decided14/378/PP
Demolish porch,extend a house and install and air source heat pump
Highcroft, Eastquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LT
Received 19 Sept 2014 - Decided14/379/PP
Change of use from a house into a bed and breakfast guest house and extend
Colymbus, 9 Craigiefield Park, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TE
Received 19 Sept 2014 - Decided14/380/LB
Minor internal alterations
26 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 23 Sept 2014 - Decided14/381/PP
Change of use from retail to office
26 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 23 Sept 2014 - Decided14/382/AMC
Erect 2 replacement houses with detached garages, install air source heat pumps and create accesses (following permission in principle - 11/202/PIP)
Midtown (Plot 1 & 2) (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RH
Received 23 Sept 2014 - Decided14/383/AD
Display an illuminated fascia sign, illuminated totem sign and 4 pole mounted panel signs
Former West Mainland Auction Mart Site, Ferry Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 23 Sept 2014 - Decided14/384/PP
Demolish and alter boundary wall to create car parking space
1 St Olaf's Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JB
Received 24 Sept 2014 - Decided14/385/CC
Demolition of boundary wall
1 St Olaf's Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JB
Received 24 Sept 2014 - Decided14/386/PP
Install an air source heat pump.
Erisian, 4 Meadow Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 24 Sept 2014 - Decided14/387/PP
Erect a house with a ground source heat pump and create an access
Midgarth (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AT
Received 24 Sept 2014 - Decided14/388/PP
Install play equipment within existing play area
St Andrews Community Centre, Churchyard Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 25 Sept 2014 - Decided14/389/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Rose Cottage (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TW
Received 25 Sept 2014 - Decided14/390/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Mariners Cottage (Land Near) South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TW
Received 25 Sept 2014 - Decided14/391/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Mayfield House, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 29 Sept 2014 - Decided14/392/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
Greenhill (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NJ
Received 1 Oct 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/393/PN
Install a single pole with underground cable
Danefield (Land Near), Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NZ
Received 29 Sept 2014 - Decided14/394/PN
Install a single pole with underground cable
Stoneywoo (Land Near), Nearhouse Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JT
Received 29 Sept 2014 - Decided14/395/PP
Form four openings in walls, construct access roads and install services and drainage for 9 house sites
Daisybank (Land Near), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NA
Received 1 Oct 2014 - Decided14/396/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Telephone Exchange, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JA
Received 30 Sept 2014 - Decided14/397/LB
Form four openings in existing stone walls
Daisybank (Land Near), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1NA
Received 1 Oct 2014 - Decided14/398/LB
Install secondary glazing and drill holes in external wall for scaffolding fixings (retrospective)
Sheriff Court, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PD
Received 30 Sept 2014 - Decided14/399/PP
Replace windows and porch (retrospective)
West End, Cromarty Square, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2SN
Received 2 Oct 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