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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Unknown23/300/NMV/01
Amend location of velux windows and rear door
Broughs, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1RG
Received 22 Aug 2024 - Decided24/327/PP
Install replacement windows and doors
Burnmouth, Rackwick Road, Hoy, Orkney
Received 23 Aug 2024 - Decided24/328/LB
Install replacement windows and door and chimney pots, and additional roof trusses, and localised repairs
Burnmouth, Rackwick Road, Hoy, Orkney Islands
Received 23 Aug 2024 - Decided24/329/HH
Extend a house
Westshore, Weaverhall Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JP
Received 26 Aug 2024 - Decided24/330/PP
Construct a slurry and effluent tank
Pole, Ness Road, Burray, Orkney KW17 2TA
Received 26 Aug 2024 - Decided24/331/SCR
Screening opinion request to create a salmon farming site (replacement of existing equipment)
East Of Skelwick Skerry
Received 16 Aug 2024 - Unknown23/232/NMV/02
Reduce building length and remove and amend doors
Cursiter Quarry, Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney KW15 1TT
Received 23 Aug 2024 - Decided24/332/PP
Convert a domestic outbuilding to a self-catering unit and vary external finishes of planning permission 21/456/PP (retrospective)
Warrenfield, Bignold Park Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PT
Received 26 Aug 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/333/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and a detached domestic shed, install a borehole, and create an access
Nearhouse (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney,
Received 27 Aug 2024 - Decided24/334/PP
Erect a house and ancillary outbuilding, and construct coastal defence works (part retrospective)
Veensgarth (Land Near), Cromwell Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 27 Aug 2024 - Decided24/335/PP
Install roof mounted solar panels
Boathouse, Shapinsay, Orkney KW17 2DY
Received 27 Aug 2024 - Decided24/336/PP
Install a storage container
The Orcadian (Land Near), Hell's Half Acre, Crowness Crescent, St Ola, Orkney
Received 28 Aug 2024 - Decided24/338/CLEUD
Regularise the use of the first floor of a house as a self-catering unit
Casa Nuestra, Blackhill Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1FP
Received 29 Aug 2024 - Decided24/339/PP
Reinstate and extend house and install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
Mounthoolie, Eday, Orkney KW17 2AB
Received 29 Aug 2024 - Decided24/341/LB
Install three replacement rooflights and two wall mounted extract fans
11 East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HZ
Received 29 Aug 2024 - Decided24/342/PP
Change of use from a public house to letting rooms and install a replacement external door
The Shore, 6 - 8 Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1LG
Received 30 Aug 2024 - Decided24/343/HH
Extend a house
Aigen, 2 Manse Lane, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BX
Received 30 Aug 2024 - Decided24/344/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as a self-catering unit
Scorrabrae Inn, Scorradale Road, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RF
Received 2 Sept 2024 - Decided24/345/PP
Install a portable building and shipping container and create a slabbed patio
Brandyquoy Bowling Green And Clubhouse, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PA
Received 2 Sept 2024 - Decided24/346/AD
Display advertisements within sports venue
Brandyquoy Bowling Green And Clubhouse, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PA
Received 2 Sept 2024 - Decided24/347/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump, and create an access
Woodstock (Land Near), Woodstock Road, Holm, Orkney KW17 2SD
Received 2 Sept 2024 - Decided24/348/PP
Convert a domestic outbuilding to a self-catering unit
Greystone, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2AY
Received 4 Sept 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/349/HH
Extend a domestic garage
24 George Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PP
Received 4 Sept 2024 - Decided24/351/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access
Seaview (Land Near), Annfield Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney KW17 2QP
Received 9 Sept 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