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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/192/HH
Extend a house
Cornamona, Heddle Road, Finstown, Firth, Orkney KW17 2JX
Received 1 May 2024 - Decided24/193/HH
Extend a house
Fish House, Langbigging Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 1 May 2024 - Decided24/194/PP
Create a lumber processing yard (Class 5) and erect a log store and cabin (retrospective)
The Blockyard, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QR
Received 2 May 2024 - Decided24/195/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and integral garage (subdivision of curtilage)
Viewforth, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3EX
Received 2 May 2024 - Decided24/196/HH
Extend a house
Guardhouse, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JR
Received 6 May 2024 - Decided24/197/PP
Erect a workshop (Class 5) (amendment to part of 22/451/PP) (part retrospective)
Burray Boatyard, Pier Road, Burray Village, Burray, Orkney
Received 6 May 2024 - Decided24/198/PPMAJ
Change of use from agriculture to a golf driving range and erect a building with four bays
Swartland Farm, Twatt, Sandwick, Orkney
Received 7 May 2024 - Unknown24/199/MARPN
Install pole mounted top nets to replace hamster wheel nets
Hunda, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 2 May 2024 - Decided24/201/OBL
Discharge a Section 75 planning obligation
Lyking, Lyking Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3HY
Received 3 May 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/202/PIP
Siting of two houses with boreholes and reed beds, and create an access
Quoykot, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PT
Received 8 May 2024 - Decided24/203/HH
Re-roof with Spanish slate
The Cottage, Coplands Lane, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1JG
Received 14 May 2024 - Unknown24/204/MARPN
Install pole mounted top nets to replace hamster wheel nets
Kirk Noust, Rousay Orkney
Received 10 May 2024 - Decided24/206/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
1 St Magnus Lane, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DJ
Received 17 May 2024 - Decided24/207/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
13 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DH
Received 17 May 2024 - Decided24/208/PP
Change of use of land to a dog care and exercise yard, erect a dog daycare building, and create parking and pedestrian access
B & L Builders (Land Near), Grainshore Drive, Kirkwall, St Ola, Orkney
Received 20 May 2024 - Unknown20/198/NMV/02
Amend windows and doors in rear extension
Ulva Cottage, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BZ
Received 20 May 2024 - Decided24/210/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
43 John Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AD
Received 23 May 2024 - Awaiting decision24/211/PP
Construction of a wastewater pumping station and access track including bridge crossing, and create an access
Land West Of Easdale Burn, New Scapa Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 24 May 2024 - Decided24/212/PP
Erect a joinery workshop (Class 5) with associated hardstanding and access track, create a separate hardstanding for laydown of materials, and create an access (part retrospective)
Hillcrest (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney
Received 27 May 2024 - Unknown24/213/PN
Install three antennas, six remote radio units, three BOBs, a dish, equipment cabinets, a temporary generator, and ancillary development
Vestrafiold (Land Near) Sandwick Orkney Islands KW16 3LU
Received 21 May 2024 - Decided24/214/SCR
Screening opinion request to operate (reopen) a quarry
Banks Quarry, Rousay Orkney
Received 27 May 2024 - Decided24/215/PP
Install a mobile sauna
Orkney Sea Cadets (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney KW15 1SD
Received 27 May 2024 - Awaiting decision24/216/MAR
Create salmon farming site comprising of 14 x 120 metre circumference circular cages, with pole mounted top nets, underwater lighting, and 200 tonne capacity feed barge (replacement of existing equipment)
Quanterness, Wide Firth, St Ola, Orkney
Received 28 May 2024 - Decided24/218/PP
Reinstate a house and re-roof and temporary siting of three structures (part-retrospective)
Milldam, Barrenha Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2BE
Received 30 May 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