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 dates11,981Searchable applications
138Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,078 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 16 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/466/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit
3 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HP
Received 4 Dec 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/469/PP
Erect a house (replace a redundant house, one for one) and create an access
Fidgarth (Land Near), Fidgarth Road, Birsay, Orkney
Received 10 Dec 2024 - Unknown23/378/NMV/01
Amend floor plan (garage to bedroom), omit garage door and install windows
Burnbank (Land Near), Hillside Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3HR
Received 6 Dec 2024 - Decided24/470/LB
Paint shop front and display an advertisement
Quest Buildings, 27 - 29 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HL
Received 11 Dec 2024 - Decided24/471/PP
Erect a storage building with microbrewery tap room (amendment to part of 21/061/PP)
Waterfront Steel, 4 Crowness Road, Hatston, Kirkwall, KW15 1RG
Received 12 Dec 2024 - Decided24/472/PP
Erect an agricultural shed
South Wardhill, Stromness, Orkney, Scotland, KW16 3HS
Received 11 Dec 2024 - Decided24/473/PP
Change of use of land from agriculture to domestic and erect a domestic annexe with an air source heat pump (ancillary to and detached from South Cott)
South Cott (Land Near), Eday, Orkney
Received 12 Dec 2024 - Decided24/474/PP
Change of use from a shop (Class 1A) to offices and workshop (Class 4), install solar panels, and new and replacement windows and doors
Brough Wolstenholmes, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1RG
Received 13 Dec 2024 - Decided24/475/PP
Erect two self-catering cabins
Muckleston, Bimbister Road, Harray, Orkney KW17 2JR
Received 16 Dec 2024 - Decided24/476/HH
Install replacement windows and door and paint external walls
Mounthoolie, 10 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1NW
Received 16 Dec 2024 - Decided24/477/LB
Install replacement windows and door and paint external walls
Mounthoolie, 10 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1NW
Received 16 Dec 2024 - Decided24/478/PP
Change of use of 32 classrooms/rooms to residential accommodation (Class 7), install shower units and toilet units, and change of use of land for three catering units, a merchandise unit, and toilets (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games)
Kirkwall Grammar School, The Meadows, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1QN
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/479/PP
Install 100 portable residential units (Class 7), shower units and toilet units within car park, and install fencing (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games)
UHI Orkney, East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1LX
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/480/PP
Change of use of 14 classrooms to residential accommodation (Class 7) and install shower units and toilet units within playground (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games)
Papdale Primary School, Willow Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PJ
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/481/PP
Change of use of 18 classrooms to residential accommodation (Class 7), install shower units and toilet units, and change of use of land for three catering units, a merchandise unit, and toilets within car park (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games)
Stromness Academy, Garson Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JS
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/482/PP
Change of use of eight classrooms to residential accommodation (Class 7), and install shower units and toilet units within playground (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games)
Stromness Primary School, Cairston Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JS
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/483/LB
Install replacement windows, rooflights and rainwater goods, remove cement render and harl walls and repaint ground floor smooth render
7 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/484/PP
Install replacement windows, rooflights and rainwater goods, remove cement render and harl walls and repaint ground floor smooth render
7 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 17 Dec 2024 - Decided24/485/PIP
Siting of a house
Myrtledene, Skiddy Road, Rendall, Orkney KW17 2HF
Received 18 Dec 2024 - Decided24/486/HH
Extend a house
Scomuir, Little Hunclett Road, Holm, Orkney KW17 2SA
Received 18 Dec 2024 - Unknown24/488/APN
Erect a GP shed
Odiness, Odiness Road, Stronsay, Orkney KW17 2AG
Received 19 Dec 2024 - Decided24/489/PP
Change of use of parcels of land for two storage containers, for use as a 'catering village' including hot food takeaway, an event marquee, information kiosk, and a merchandise unit (temporary for two months for Orkney 2025 Island Games) and install a sculpture
The Pickaquoy Centre, Muddisdale Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1LR
Received 19 Dec 2024 - Decided24/490/LB
Install foul water pipe and raise path level
2 South End, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3DJ
Received 19 Dec 2024 - Decided24/491/PP
Erect a slurry tank
Georth, Georth Road, Evie, Orkney KW17 2PJ
Received 19 Dec 2024
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