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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided14/521/PP
Erect a house with detached garage and create an access (amendment to approval of 14/232/PP)
7 Coplands Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/522/PP
Demolish existing garage and erect replacement garage
Leyan, Glaitness Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BA
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/523/PP
Extend existing craft shop to create cafe
Millhouse (Land Near), Lyness, Orkney, KW16 3NU
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/524/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Skennist (Land Near), School Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/525/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Blakkbanks (Land Near), Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/526/APN
Erect a GP shed
Snippigar Deerness Orkney KW17 2QQ
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/527/PP
Demolish redundant buildings, erect a house with an air source heat pump and upgrade existing access
New Moan (Land Near), Nistaben Road, Harray, Orkney KW17 2LE
Received 24 Dec 2014 - Decided14/528/PN
Erect a substation
Grainshore Road (Land Near), Hatston, Kirkwall
Received 23 Dec 2014 - Decided15/001/PP
Erect a house and install an air source heat pump and erect a detached garage (amendment to approved house 02/362/PPF - part constructed)
Avenger, Kirbister Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HU
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Unknown15/002/PIP
Siting of a house for a farm worker and create an access
Vestrafiold (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LU
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/003/PP
Reinstate derelict house and outbuilding and create an access
Lower Nisthouse, Germiston Road, Stenness, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HE
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/004/PP
Reinstate three openings and install timber windows and doors
The Orkney Hotel, 40 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/005/PP
Install an air source heat pump
9 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NW
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/006/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and upgrade existing access
Leabank (Land Near), Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3EY
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/007/PIP
Siting of a replacement house and create an access
Pool (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TH,
Received 7 Jan 2015 - Decided15/008/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Junction House (Land Near), Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2HT
Received 5 Jan 2015 - Decided15/009/PP
Install a balcony
Camusmor, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SD
Received 7 Jan 2015 - Decided15/010/LB
Install internal secondary glazing
Town Hall, Church Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BA
Received 7 Jan 2015 - Decided15/011/PP
Erect three camping cabins and create car parking area
Pickaquoy Caravan And Camping Site, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LR
Received 8 Jan 2015 - Decided15/012/PP
Change of use from domestic outbuilding to house
Eastward House (Outbuilding Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RN
Received 12 Jan 2015 - Decided15/013/MARREV
Review by Scottish Government on marine fish farm at Lyrawa Bay
Lyrawa Bay, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 7 Jan 2015 - Decided15/014/PP
Change of use from office to education facility, install replacement door and install an air source heat pump
Basement Workroom, Block 1 Old Academy Business Centre, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 13 Jan 2015 - Decided15/015/PP
Extend and re-roof a house, and install an air source heat pump
Knockhall, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TQ
Received 13 Jan 2015 - Decided15/016/PP
Change of use from barn to house and create access
Clinkhammer Barns, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 14 Jan 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