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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided15/041/PP
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
24 White Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PG
Received 29 Jan 2015 - Withdrawn/Returned15/042/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Brough (Land Near), Greenfield, Toab, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 30 Jan 2015 - Decided15/043/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Melsetter Farm (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NZ
Received 30 Jan 2015 - Decided15/044/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Peerie House (Land Near), Longhope, Hoy, Orkney, KW16
Received 30 Jan 2015 - Decided15/045/PP
Install a septic tank and soakaway to service proposed house (planning application 14/485/PP)
Weaverhall (Land Near), Weaverhall Road, Innertown, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 30 Jan 2015 - Decided15/046/PP
Erect two portacabins and install three air source heat pumps
Harray Hall (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR,
Received 30 Jan 2015 - Decided15/047/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
West Stove (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LS
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/048/PP
Extend and re-roof existing shed
Burnside, Germiston Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW16 3HD
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/049/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Eastbister (Land Near), Sandsdale Road, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3PA
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/050/PP
Create an external licensed seating area
The Orkney Brewery, Quoyloo Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LT
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/051/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Ness (Land Near), Ness Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2TA
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/052/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Manclett (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NZ
Received 2 Feb 2015 - Decided15/053/PP
Install a telecommunications box
Telephone Exchange (Land Near), Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AJ
Received 3 Feb 2015 - Decided15/054/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 14.8m)
Holm Of Grimbister (Land Near), Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TU
Received 3 Feb 2015 - Decided15/055/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 14.8m)
Via House (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JF
Received 3 Feb 2015 - Decided15/056/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m)
Lyking (Land Near), Lyking Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2HA
Received 3 Feb 2015 - Decided15/057/PP
Install an air source heat pump
15 Garden Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JA
Received 4 Feb 2015 - Decided15/058/PP
Import soil for agricultural benefit
Midhouse, Stymilders Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW17 2JY
Received 5 Feb 2015 - Decided15/059/PP
Erect a house with air source heat pump and create an access
16 Coplands Drive, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BN
Received 5 Feb 2015 - Decided15/060/TPP
Erect a 20kW wind turbine (max height 22m)
Ferry Terminal (Land Near), St Margarets Hope Pier, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 5 Feb 2015 - Decided15/061/PP
Convert existing office and workshop to a house and install an air source heat pump
Hillside Office, Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 5 Feb 2015 - Decided15/062/APN
Erect a building over existing slurry tank to form slatted court
West Nistaben, Germiston Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3HE
Received 9 Feb 2015 - Decided15/063/TPP
Erect 2 x 6kW wind turbines (max height 17.8m)
Little Millhouse (Land Near), Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 9 Feb 2015 - Decided15/064/PP
Replace roof covering from stone slates to alternative natural slates
Gorn, Bryameadow Road, Twatt, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JH
Received 10 Feb 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