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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided15/432/APN
Erect a GP shed
Newhall, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 3 Sept 2015 - Decided15/433/PP
Install a telecommunications box
Brooklyn (Land Near), Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AJ
Received 3 Sept 2015 - Decided15/434/APN
Erect a GP shed
Limbo, Honeysgeo Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TH
Received 3 Sept 2015 - Decided15/435/PP
Change of use of land, create an access and erect a greenhouse
Millhouse (Land Near), Evie, Orkney, KW17 2NJ
Received 4 Sept 2015 - Decided15/436/PP
Replace shop front
69 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 7 Sept 2015 - Decided15/437/LB
Replace shop front
69 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 7 Sept 2015 - Decided15/439/PP
Extend and re-roof existing shed
Anvil Cottage, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JF
Received 7 Sept 2015 - Decided15/440/AMC
Erect a house with integral garage, install an air source heat pump and create an access (following permission in principle - 13/512/PIP)
Daisybank (Plot 7), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NA
Received 7 Sept 2015 - Decided15/441/PP
Install replacements sash and case windows and cast iron rainwater goods, re-point walls and reinstate railings
Myrtle Villa, Bignold Park Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PT
Received 7 Sept 2015 - Decided15/442/SCR
Screening opinion request to extract stone
Cursiter Quarry, Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TT
Received 8 Sept 2015 - Decided15/443/PP
Demolish existing shed and erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Lynndale (Land Near), Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DH
Received 8 Sept 2015 - Decided15/444/PP
Import soil for agricultural land improvement and alter an access (part retrospective) (resubmission of 15/346/PP)
Moan (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LQ
Received 8 Sept 2015 - Decided15/445/PIP
Siting 2 replacement houses
Upper Dykeside, Eday, KW17 2AA
Received 9 Sept 2015 - Decided15/446/PIP
Siting of a house and creation of an access
Kiama (Land Near), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NA
Received 9 Sept 2015 - Decided15/447/PP
Increase roof height (amendment to 15/061/PP)
Hillside Office, Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 11 Sept 2015 - Decided15/448/PP
Erect 32 houses with associated services including a drainage detention basin
Grainbank, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UH
Received 15 Sept 2015 - Decided15/449/PP
Subdivision of domestic curtilage and convert outbuilding to dwelling
2 Store, Aglath, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3HA
Received 16 Sept 2015 - Decided15/450/PP
Subdivision of a retail unit in to 2 units
Wolstenholme, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1RG
Received 16 Sept 2015 - Decided15/453/PP
Paint walls
48 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 17 Sept 2015 - Decided15/454/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 17.8m) and install underground cables
Springfields (Land Near), Berstane Lodge Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 17 Sept 2015 - Decided15/455/PP
Demolish redundant building and extend a house
Gallowhill, Viewforth Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SZ
Received 17 Sept 2015 - Decided15/456/PP
Install replacement doors, windows and rainwater goods and paint walls
58 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 18 Sept 2015 - Withdrawn/Returned15/458/PP
Construct a vehicle layby including sea wall and erect a kiosk
Well Park (Land Near), Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DN
Received 21 Sept 2015 - Decided15/459/PP
Erect a control kiosk
Grays Noust (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3EB
Received 21 Sept 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