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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/244/PP
Erect an agricultural shed and create hardstandings (retrospective)
Millbank, Mill Bay Road, Eday, Orkney KW17 2AB
Received 14 Jun 2024 - Decided24/245/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and temporary siting of caravan
Site At Ha'breck Green (near Trenabie Mills), Pierowall, Westray, Orkney
Received 14 Jun 2024 - Unknown24/246/APN
Erect a GP shed
Furrowend (Land Near) Shapinsay Orkney
Received 17 Jun 2024 - Decided24/247/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Seaways, Firth, Orkney KW15 1TU
Received 17 Jun 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/248/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Kellyan, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney KW17 2LX
Received 17 Jun 2024 - Decided24/249/HH
Install 14 replacement windows and two doors
24 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BZ
Received 18 Jun 2024 - Decided24/251/PP
Convert a former house to two flats, install two air source heat pumps with housing, replacement windows and doors and rainwater goods, paint external walls, install stone steps and a hand rail
39B Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BY
Received 20 Jun 2024 - Unknown24/252/APN
Erect a GP shed
Summerton, Bu Road, Burray, Orkney KW17 2SU
Received 24 Jun 2024 - Decided24/253/HH
Extend a house
Fogralea, Bloomfield Road, Burray, Orkney KW17 2SS
Received 24 Jun 2024 - Decided24/254/PP
Extend a substation switchgear building
Sanday Substation, Sanday, Orkney
Received 25 Jun 2024 - Decided24/256/PP
Alter an access, construct an access track and parking, including diversion of a burn and associated landscaping, temporary siting of two cabins and alter and extend a building
Hall Of Clestrain, Orphir, Orkney KW16 3HB
Received 26 Jun 2024 - Decided24/257/LB
Re-roof with stone slates and replacement ridge tiles, construct stone pediment. Lime harl external walls, install rainwater goods, handrails, and temporary grilles in window openings, and remove concrete floor slab
Hall Of Clestrain Orphir Orkney Islands KW16 3HB
Received 26 Jun 2024 - Unknown24/258/APN
Extend a GP shed
Huan, Sandwick, Orkney KW16 3LS
Received 27 Jun 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/259/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
1 Hellihole Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney
Received 27 Jun 2024 - Decided24/250/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one) and create an access
Hillbanks, Littlequoy Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 27 Jun 2024 - Decided24/260/PIP
Siting of a house (in-fill development) and create an access
Skiddy Road, Rendall, Orkney KW17 2HF
Received 27 Jun 2024 - Decided24/261/HH
Extend a house
2 Robertson Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1GQ
Received 28 Jun 2024 - Unknown24/262/APN
Erect a GP shed
Aithsdale, Sandsdale Road, Hoy, Orkney KW16 3PA
Received 2 Jul 2024 - Unknown19/380/NMV/01
Omit door and balcony and amend render
Albert Hotel Mounthoolie Place Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1HW
Received 25 Jun 2024 - Decided24/264/PIP
Siting of a house (subdivision of curtilage)
Roselea Croft, Blackhill Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1FP
Received 4 Jul 2024 - Decided24/265/HH
Remove cement render, lime harl walls, and install two air source heat pumps with housing (part retrospective)
24A Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1BU
Received 4 Jul 2024 - Decided24/266/HH
Erect a polycarbonate polytunnel
Braeview Lodge, Stews Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2RL
Received 4 Jul 2024 - Decided24/267/LB
Remove cement render, lime harl walls, and install two air source heat pumps with housing (part retrospective)
24A Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1BU
Received 4 Jul 2024 - Decided24/268/HH
Extend a house
Oamaru, Grainbank Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1UA
Received 26 Jun 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