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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided15/017/LB
Display a fascia sign, two projecting signs, nameplates and paint ATM cladding
The Royal Bank Of Scotland, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DP
Received 14 Jan 2015 - Decided15/018/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Malisburgh (Land Near), Malisburgh Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 14 Jan 2015 - Decided15/019/PP
Reinstate derelict house and extend, install an air source heat pump, renovate existing outbuilding and create an access
Malisburgh, Malisburgh Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 14 Jan 2015 - Decided15/020/PP
Erect a general purpose shed
Midgarth (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AT
Received 15 Jan 2015 - Decided15/021/PN
Install an air source heat pump
Scomuir, Little Hunclett Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 15 Jan 2015 - Withdrawn/Returned15/022/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage and air source heat pump, retain existing redundant building as an outbuilding and create an access
Rose Cottage (Land Near), Grimeston Road, Harray, Orkney
Received 15 Jan 2015 - Decided15/024/APN
Erect a GP shed
Easdale, Newark Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 19 Jan 2015 - Decided15/023/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Mill Cottage, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HX
Received 19 Jan 2015 - Decided15/025/PP
Change of use from office to educational
Strynd Offices, Strynd, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 19 Jan 2015 - Decided15/027/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine (max height 15.1m)
Skennist (Land Near), School Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 21 Jan 2015 - Decided15/026/PP
Erect a garage (retrospective)
Dunkirk (Land Near), Cromarty Square St. Margret's Hope, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2015 - Decided15/028/PP
Change of use from retail to office
77 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 21 Jan 2015 - Decided15/029/LB
Extend existing lean-to extension; remove cement render and lime point wall; paint wall; remove modern windows and install sash and case windows; install cast iron rainwater goods; remove modern chimney stack; and replace fibreglass roof with slate
41 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 22 Jan 2015 - Decided15/030/PP
Subdivide house to three flats; extend existing lean-to extension; remove cement render and lime point wall; paint wall; remove modern windows and install sash and case windows; install cast iron rainwater goods; remove modern chimney stack; replace fibreglass roof with slate; and associated works to garden and install three air source heat pumps
41 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 22 Jan 2015 - Decided15/031/S36CON
Consultation on section 36 application for the generation of up to 10MW from the existing tidal energy test centre
Fall Of Warness, West Of Eday, Orkney
Received 22 Jan 2015 - Decided15/032/CC
Demolish garage, sun-lounge and extension
Maple Cottage, St Rognvald Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PR
Received 26 Jan 2015 - Decided15/033/PP
Erect a replacement house with air source heat pump, retain existing redundant building as an outbuilding and create an access
Hyval Stables, Howaback Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JA
Received 23 Jan 2015 - Decided15/034/PP
Construct a public road linking A964 Old Scapa Road to A963 New Scapa Road; create a junction at Old Scapa Road; create a roundabout at New Scapa Road, a footpath, landscaping and provide a surface water drainage system
New Scapa Road/Old Scapa Road (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 26 Jan 2015 - Decided15/035/PP
Demolish garage, sun-lounge and extension, extend a house, erect a garage and install an air source heat pump
Maple Cottage, St Rognvald Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PR
Received 26 Jan 2015 - Decided15/036/TPP
Erect 2 x 6kW wind turbines (max height 17.8m)
Bu Road (Land Near), Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SZ
Received 27 Jan 2015 - Decided15/037/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
3 Robertson Loan (Plot 7) (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 27 Jan 2015 - Withdrawn/Returned15/038/PP
Erect a house incorporating existing shed and create an access
Springfield Cottage (Land Near), Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 28 Jan 2015 - Decided15/039/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a salmon fish farm
Westerbister, Tongue Of Westerbister, Holm, Orkney
Received 28 Jan 2015 - Decided15/040/PP
Extend a house
Aorangi, Cornquoy Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 29 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
All planning guides
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
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