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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/154/HH
Extend a house
Garth, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TQ
Received 1 Apr 2016 - Decided16/155/SCR
Screening opinion to erect a 500kW turbine (max height 46.3m)
Muckle Rysa, Lyness, Orkney
Received 31 Mar 2016 - Decided16/156/SCR
Screening opinion to erect 2 500kW turbine (max height 46.3m)
Linnadale, Orphir, Orkney
Received 31 Mar 2016 - Decided16/157/SCR
Screening opinion to erect 2 500kW turbine (max height 46.3m)
The Bu, Burray, Orkney
Received 31 Mar 2016 - Decided16/158/HH
Extend a house & install an air source heat pump (part retrospective)
Hillview, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 4 Apr 2016 - Decided16/159/AMC
Erect a house with detached garage and an air source heat pump (following permission in principle - 14/077/PIP
High Tor (Land Near), Annfield Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NS
Received 5 Apr 2016 - Decided16/160/PP
Erect a slatted byre
Walkerhouse (Land Near), The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LY
Received 6 Apr 2016 - Decided16/161/HH
Install an air source heat pump
Afton Cottage, St Mary's, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RT
Received 7 Apr 2016 - Decided16/162/PP
Erect a building to house craft distillery, visitor centre, and associated storage sheds.
Store, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 7 Apr 2016 - Decided16/163/HH
Erect a detached garage
Pharos, 5 Scapa Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RL
Received 8 Apr 2016 - Decided16/164/SCR
Screening opinion to erect 2 500kW turbine (max height 46.3m)
Clestrain (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AT
Received 8 Apr 2016 - Decided16/165/PP
Construct concrete and stone faced flood wall including fixed and demountable flood gates and glass panel flood wall at harbour basin, raise rock armour at Ayre Road, and associated street works
Kirkwall Waterfront (Hatston To Shore Street), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 8 Apr 2016 - Decided16/167/PP
Erect a shed, shelter and other ancillary equipment for falconry displays
Skaill House, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR
Received 11 Apr 2016 - Decided16/168/APN
Upgrade and form access track
Swartafiold, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 11 Apr 2016 - Decided16/169/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and erect an outbuilding
Greenfield, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/170/PIP
Siting of a house
Ayreside (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NZ
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/171/PP
Erect a GP shed
Pier Office (Land Near), Pier Road, St Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2SW
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/172/PP
Change the use of land from agricultural to domestic (retrospective)
Auld Sooth Kirk, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/173/APN
Erect a byre
Quean, Midhouse Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LD
Received 13 Apr 2016 - Decided16/174/HH
Extend a house
Glower, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 11 Apr 2016 - Decided16/175/PP
Extend hall, install two air source heat pumps and replace window & door
Sandwick Hall, Sandwick, Orkney
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/176/PP
Erect a GP shed
Karbridge (Land Near), Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 12 Apr 2016 - Decided16/179/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
20 Laverock Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1EE
Received 14 Apr 2016 - Decided16/180/PP
Change of use of land and erect building for use as kennels and cattery
Flaws, Langskaill Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 14 Apr 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