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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/259/PP
Reinstate house and erect a house (two for one).
Viewfield (Land Near), Scorradale Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RF
Received 13 Jun 2016 - Decided16/260/HH
Install an air source heat pump and a solar radiator.
8 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 13 Jun 2016 - Decided16/261/MARCON
Extend marshalling area
St Margarets Hope Pier, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2SW
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/262/S36CON
Install a tidal array
Brims, Hoy, Orkney
Received 15 Jun 2016 - Decided16/263/LB
Internal alterations and install 7 new windows in the basement level.
Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY
Received 15 Jun 2016 - Decided16/264/HH
Install an air source heat pump
3 Faravel, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DT
Received 15 Jun 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/265/HH
Install an air source heat pump.
16 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 17 Jun 2016 - Decided16/266/HH
Install an air source heat pump and replace timber front door
13 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 17 Jun 2016 - Decided16/267/HH
Install an air source heat pump
Homeridge, 16A Rope Walk, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XJ
Received 17 Jun 2016 - Decided16/268/HH
Erect a garage (retrospective)
10 Craigie Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1EP
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/269/LB
Install 2 air source heat pumps
26 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/270/HH
Extend a house
Maple Cottage, Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/271/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Farafield (Land Near), Hunclett Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RZ
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/272/HH
Install 2 air source heat pumps
26 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/273/HH
Extend a house
Abington, Cromwell Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LW
Received 20 Jun 2016 - Decided16/275/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
6 Thorfinn Place, St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TR
Received 21 Jun 2016 - Decided16/276/PP
Change of use from domestic (class 9 ) to a guesthouse (class 7) retrospective
Hammersmith, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 21 Jun 2016 - Decided16/277/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Peace (Land Near), Quoyloo, Sandwick
Received 22 Jun 2016 - Decided16/278/PP
Construct access roads and install services and drainage for 7 house sites
Castlehame (Land Near; And Rear Of Four Seasons, Muckleview And Innischonnel), Carness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UE
Received 22 Jun 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/279/LB
Install an air source heat pump
16 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 22 Jun 2016 - Decided16/280/HH
Replace dormer window
12 Hillside Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AH
Received 23 Jun 2016 - Decided16/281/PP
Install a telecommunications box
Telephone Exchange (Land Near), Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AJ
Received 23 Jun 2016 - Decided16/282/HH
Extend a house
Viewfield, Scorradale Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RF
Received 24 Jun 2016 - Decided16/283/PP
Temporary change of use from chalet to staff accommodation (retrospective)
Commodore Chalet No 2, St Marys, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RU
Received 24 Jun 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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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
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