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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/026/AMC
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump (following permission in principle - 13/512/PIP)
Daisybank (Plot 3), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2016 - Decided16/027/MAR
Install maturation lighting
Meil Bay, St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/028/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and erect an outbuilding
Greenfield, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 21 Jan 2016 - Decided16/029/MAR
Install maturation lighting
Bay Of Ham, Rousay Sound, Rousay, Orkney
Received 21 Jan 2016 - Decided16/030/PP
Erect a slatted byre with underground slurry store
Stove (Land Near), Sanday
Received 25 Jan 2016 - Decided16/031/HH
Install an air source heat pump
15 Grieveship Terrace, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AY
Received 25 Jan 2016 - Decided16/032/HH
Extend a house
Coo, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 26 Jan 2016 - Decided16/033/MLSCR
Screening opininon to extend the marshalling area
St Margarets Hope Pier, Pier Road, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney.
Received 14 Jan 2016 - Decided16/034/SCR
Screening opinion request to install a tidal energy scheme
Churchill Barriers 1 & 2, Orkney
Received 26 Jan 2016 - Decided16/035/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump.
Rowandale (Land Near), Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EJ
Received 27 Jan 2016 - Decided16/036/PP
Replace windows (retrospective)
Murray Arms Hotel, Back Road, St Margarets Hope, Orkney, KW17 2SP
Received 26 Jan 2016 - Decided16/037/HH
Install an air source heat pump
2 Manse Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BS
Received 25 Jan 2016 - Decided16/038/HH
Extend house and install an air source heat pump
Midbea Schoolhouse, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DP
Received 26 Jan 2016 - Decided16/039/PN
Replace 2 antenna, install 3 antenna and 2 transmission dishes
Burger Hill, Evie
Received 26 Jan 2016 - Decided16/040/HH
Extend a house
Puckletie, St Ola, Orkney
Received 28 Jan 2016 - Decided16/041/APN
Erect a GP shed
Old School, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 29 Jan 2016 - Decided16/042/HH
Extend a house and reinstate driveway
South Hutts, Hutts Road, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3PQ
Received 29 Jan 2016 - Decided16/043/LB
Create toilet, mess room and battery room within the ground floor
Hoy High Lighthouse, Sandside Road, Graemsay, Orkney
Received 29 Jan 2016 - Decided16/044/LB
Erect three storey rear extension with metal cladding, lime render walls, install replacement timber windows and doors, metal railings and rooflights, display four signs, and internal alterations
Storehouse, Bridge St Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 1 Feb 2016 - Decided16/045/PP
Change of use from fire station to domestic use
Fire Station, Flotta, Orkney, KW16 3NP
Received 2 Feb 2016 - Decided16/046/AD
Erect an illuminated sign
J & W Tait, Sparrowhawk Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1GE
Received 1 Feb 2016 - Decided16/047/PP
Change of use from agricultural building to dwellinghouse and install an air source heat pump
Westerbister (Land Near), Holm, Orkney. KW17 2RY
Received 1 Feb 2016 - Decided16/048/PP
Change of use from warehouse to hotel, erect three storey extension, lime render walls, and install replacement timber windows and doors, metal railings and rooflights
Storehouse, Bridge St Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 1 Feb 2016 - Decided16/049/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump.
Bangor (Land Near), Cairston Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JS
Received 1 Feb 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