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9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided16/284/PN
Install additional pole on existing 11kV overhead line
Wilderness, Holm
Received 27 Jun 2016 - Decided16/285/PP
Erect a plant building, a marquee (permanent), install decking and change of use of a building to a taxi office (retrospective).
Standing Stones Hotel, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3JX
Received 28 Jun 2016 - Decided16/286/LB
Paint courtyard boundary wall and install metal railings and gates, and install replacement gates to rear lane.
Ivy House (Land Near), 43 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 30 Jun 2016 - Decided16/287/HH
Paint courtyard boundary wall and install metal railings and gates, and install replacement gates to rear lane
Ivy House (Land Near), 43 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 30 Jun 2016 - Decided16/288/PP
Install a 15m lattice tower, erect 3 cabinets, 1 satellite dish, erect a fence and create hardstanding
Vestrafiold (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LU
Received 30 Jun 2016 - Decided16/289/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Cruan (Land Near), Norseman, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NY
Received 30 Jun 2016 - Decided16/290/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Sutherland Park, KW15 1DR
Received 30 Jun 2016 - Decided16/291/HH
Replace two windows in front elevation.
11 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NW
Received 1 Jul 2016 - Decided16/292/PP
Formation of new entrance lobby, shop front alterations, blocking up roller shutter door, installation of external plant with associated enclosure, erect a new gas store and install an ATM
The Co-operative Food, Dounby Stores, Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2HT
Received 1 Jul 2016 - Decided16/293/PP
Erect eight houses.
Sands Park (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QW
Received 4 Jul 2016 - Decided16/294/CLEUD
To regularise existing building to dwellinghouse
Weathertop, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HZ
Received 4 Jul 2016 - Decided16/295/AMCMAJ
Erect a healthcare facility, associated infrastructure, landscaping and enabling works (following permission in principle - 14/100/PIPMAJ)
New Scapa Road (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Jul 2016 - Decided16/296/LB
Display a sign
Orkney Sailing Club, The Girnel House, 22 Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LE
Received 5 Jul 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/297/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump.
Strathearn (Land Near) Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 5 Jul 2016 - Decided16/298/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Old School, Quoyloo, Sandwick, Stromness, KW16 3LT
Received 5 Jul 2016 - Decided16/299/PP
Erect 2 houses with air source heat pumps.
Blossom (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 8 Jul 2016 - Decided16/300/HH
Extend house and erect a detached garage with an air source heat pump.
Habrek, 22 Lynn Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SL
Received 8 Jul 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/301/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage and air source heat pump and erect 3 replacement houses with integral garages and air source heat pumps.
Sunnyside Farm (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TR
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/302/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Plot 6, Eastbrae, Stromness, KW16 3HS.
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/303/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Plot 7, Eastbrae, Stromness, KW16 3HS
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/304/PP
Erect a house and detached garage
Lower Valley (Land Near), Smoogro Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/306/PP
Erect a GP shed
Woodstock (Land Near), Woodstock Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/307/EB
Install a 11kV overhead electricity line.
Ludenhill, Swannay, Orkney
Received 11 Jul 2016 - Decided16/308/PP
Change of use of former library to shop, gallery, caf� bar and music venue, erect rear and side extensions, install air source heat pumps, demolish house to rear, erect outbuildings and widen access.
Former Library, Kirkwall
Received 13 Jul 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
All planning guides
Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
UK researchPublished Updated
Property research · 13 min read
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.
UK researchPublished Updated
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