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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided15/589/PP
Install an air source heat pump
39 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 3 Dec 2015 - Decided15/590/LB
Install an air source heat pump
39 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 3 Dec 2015 - Decided15/591/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and create an access (amendment to 15/376/PP)
Hawin (Land Near), Northside Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LU
Received 4 Dec 2015 - Decided15/592/PIP
Siting of a house
22 High Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AZ
Received 7 Dec 2015 - Decided15/593/PP
Extend site boundaries, install hydrogen generation and storage plant with associated equipment. Relocation of existing weather station.
EMEC Electricity Sub-Station, Cauldale (Land Near), Eday, KW17 2AA
Received 8 Dec 2015 - Decided15/594/LB
Install an air source heat pump
4 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 9 Dec 2015 - Decided15/595/PP
Erect a GP shed (storage of landscaping equipment and plant)
Makerhouse, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2HS
Received 9 Dec 2015 - Decided15/596/TC
Fell 2 trees and pruning works to pollarded tree
5 Highbury Villas, East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HT
Received 9 Dec 2015 - Decided15/597/PP
Convert redundant non domestic building to a house
Lochside, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2HP
Received 9 Dec 2015 - Decided15/598/PP
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Quoyburray Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 9 Dec 2015 - Decided15/599/PP
Extend a house
New House, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 10 Dec 2015 - Decided15/600/APN
Erect a GP shed
Crookhutcheon, Bigswell Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3LA
Received 10 Dec 2015 - Decided15/602/PP
Erect a detached garage and create an access
Rose Cottage, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NZ
Received 11 Dec 2015 - Decided15/601/PP
Reinstate dwelling, install an air source heat pump and upgrade access.
Glebe, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 11 Dec 2015 - Decided15/603/PIP
Siting of a house and an access for a retiring farmer
Garth, South Ronaldsay
Received 15 Dec 2015 - Decided15/604/PP
Extend a house
Crag Snaw, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NA
Received 17 Dec 2015 - Decided15/605/PP
Install 3 panel antennas and 1dish
Milldoe Radio Station, Settiscarth, Rendall, Orkney
Received 21 Dec 2015 - Decided15/606/PP
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
17 Hermaness, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XA
Received 22 Dec 2015 - Decided15/607/PP
Erect retail and storage building with air source heat pump and create access
Orkney Auction Mart (Land Near) Grainshore Road St Ola Orkney Islands KW15 1FL
Received 23 Dec 2015 - Decided15/608/PP
Extension to waste transfer site (retrospective)
Orkney Aggregates Ltd, Crowness Crescent, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1GJ
Received 23 Dec 2015 - Decided15/609/PP
Erect a fence and create hardstanding
Orkney Aggregates Ltd, Crowness Crescent, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1GJ
Received 23 Dec 2015 - Decided15/610/PP
Install a dormar window
Schoolhouse, Kirbister School, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HU
Received 23 Dec 2015 - Decided15/611/APN
Erect a GP shed
Mooness, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 23 Dec 2015 - Decided16/001/LB
To form opening in wall
22 High Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AZ
Received 5 Jan 2016
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