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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/473/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Muirhouse (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RA
Received 26 Nov 2014 - Unknown14/474/PP
Erect 4 self-catering holiday units with air source heat pumps, create access and widen public road
Groatsetter (Land Near), Groatsetter Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 27 Nov 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/475/PP
Extend a house utilising existing non-domestic extension and install dormer windows
Sydney Cottage, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TU
Received 28 Nov 2014 - Decided14/476/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage, install ground source heat pump, erect a shed and create an access
Little Millhouse (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 28 Nov 2014 - Decided14/477/MARREV
Review by Scottish Government on marine fish farm at Chalmers Hope
Chalmers Hope (Near Hoy), Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 27 Nov 2014 - Decided14/478/APN
Erect a GP shed
Knowe, Oyce Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 1 Dec 2014 - Decided14/479/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
33B Grainepark (Plot 6B) (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UL
Received 3 Dec 2014 - Decided14/480/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
33A Grainepark (Plot 6A) (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UL
Received 3 Dec 2014 - Decided14/481/APN
Extend an existing GP shed
Westersands (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 2 Dec 2014 - Decided14/482/SCR
Screening opinion request to create a link road
New Scapa Road/Old Scapa Road (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 2 Dec 2014 - Decided14/483/PP
Install a telecommunications box
School Place/Thoms Street Car Park (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JQ
Received 3 Dec 2014 - Decided14/484/PN
Erect a substation
Balfour Hospital (Land Near), New Scapa Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BH
Received 5 Dec 2014 - Withdrawn/Returned14/485/PP
Install a septic tank and soakaway to service proposed house (planning application 14/410/PP)
Weaverhall (Land Near), Weaverhall Road, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 5 Dec 2014 - Decided14/486/PP
Extend existing pavilion
WMAS Pavillion, Dounby Show Park, Dounby, Orkney
Received 8 Dec 2014 - Decided14/487/PP
Import soil to raise ground level
Castlehame (Land Near; And Rear Of Four Seasons, Muckleview And Innischonnel), Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UE
Received 8 Dec 2014 - Decided14/488/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
Park Loan (Plot 2) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PU
Received 8 Dec 2014 - Decided14/489/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
Park Loan (Plot 1) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PU
Received 9 Dec 2014 - Decided14/490/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Junction House (Land Near), Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HH
Received 9 Dec 2014 - Decided14/491/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 15.1m)
Stumpo (Land Near), Rue Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 10 Dec 2014 - Decided14/492/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Woodhouse (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 10 Dec 2014 - Decided14/493/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Swartaquoy (Land Near), Swartaquoy Road, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DZ
Received 10 Dec 2014 - Decided14/494/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Blossom (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 10 Dec 2014 - Decided14/495/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access
4 Robertson Loan (Plot 9) (Land Near), Watersfield, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 10 Dec 2014 - Decided14/496/PPMAJ
Continued extraction of minerals
Heddle Quarry, Heddle Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2JX
Received 11 Dec 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