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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/050/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage for a retiring farmer
Huan (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LS
Received 1 Feb 2016 - Decided16/052/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Collingwood (Land Near), North End Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3LJ
Received 3 Feb 2016 - Decided16/053/LB
Install replacement windows
17 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/054/HH
Install an air source heat pump
17-19 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/055/LB
Install an air source heat pump
17-19 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/056/HH
Replace 2 windows
Caretakers Flat, 4 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NN
Received 3 Feb 2016 - Decided16/057/LB
Replace 2 windows
Caretakers Flat 4 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NN
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/058/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and create an access
Inganess Bay (Land Near), Inganess, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TF
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/059/TPO
Fell five mature trees
Varhavn, Heddle Road, Finstown, Firth, Orkney KW17 2EG
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/060/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Crismo Cottage, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NW
Received 5 Feb 2016 - Decided16/061/PP
Change of use from hostel to dwelling house and install an air source heat pump
Evie Hostel, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PH
Received 5 Feb 2016 - Decided16/062/AD
Erect an illuminated sign
Lidl, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RP
Received 5 Feb 2016 - Decided16/063/PP
Extend car park
Lidl, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RP
Received 5 Feb 2016 - Decided16/064/PP
Install underground cables and an electrical enclosure
Sandybanks, Eday
Received 4 Feb 2016 - Decided16/065/PP
Erect 2 polytunnels
Morven House, School Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 9 Feb 2016 - Decided16/066/PP
Erect a house with double garage
Cleat (Land Near), Cleat Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 9 Feb 2016 - Decided16/067/AMC
Erect a house (following permission in principle - 13/018/PIP)
Rossmyre Farm (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TS
Received 10 Feb 2016 - Decided16/069/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Jubilee Court (Plot 7), Kirkwall, KW15 1XR
Received 10 Feb 2016 - Decided16/070/PP
Replace grass bowling green with artificial all-weather surface and removal of tree
Kirkwall Bowling Club, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 10 Feb 2016 - Decided16/071/PP
Extend a non domestic building
OFS Limited, Garson Park, Garson Industrial Estate, Stromness, KW16 3JU
Received 11 Feb 2016 - Decided16/072/PP
Extend a non domestic building
OFS Limited, Garson Park, Garson Industrial Estate, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JU
Received 11 Feb 2016 - Decided16/073/PP
Siting of a caravan for self catering
Queena Cottage, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NS
Received 12 Feb 2016 - Decided16/074/PP
Erect two chalets with parking
Groatsetter (Land Near), Groatsetter Road, St Andrews, Orkney KW17 2QU
Received 16 Feb 2016 - Decided16/075/PP
Erect a bird hide and access path
St Andrews Community Centre, Churchyard Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 16 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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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