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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/353/PP
Erect a three storey office
The Crafty, Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 9 Sept 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/354/HH
Extend a house
13 Links, Sandy Road, Westray, Orkney KW17 2DH
Received 9 Sept 2024 - Decided24/355/PP
Change of use from storage (Class 6) to mixed use workshop, storage and offices (Classes 4, 5 and 6), external alterations including openings and PV panels, create parking and other hardstanding, erect fencing and associated works (amendment to 22/116/PP)
Historic Environment Scotland, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1RG
Received 9 Sept 2024 - Decided24/358/HH
Extend a house and shed
Rosevale, Westray, Orkney KW17 2DH
Received 11 Sept 2024 - Decided24/359/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
Flat 2, 3 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Received 12 Sept 2024 - Decided24/360/TPP
Erect a wind turbine (maximum height 49.5 meters) (repowering of existing site)
New Holland (Land Near), Stratheast Road, Holm, Orkney
Received 16 Sept 2024 - Decided24/362/LB
Install two replacement windows
22 High Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AZ
Received 17 Sept 2024 - Decided24/363/PP
Change of use of part of a shed from agriculture to scaffolding storage (Class 6) and extend (part retrospective)
Harfirlea (Land Near), Corston Road, Harray, Orkney
Received 17 Sept 2024 - Decided24/365/SCR
Screening opinion request to create a salmon farming site (replacement of existing equipment)
Bay Of Cleat North, Westray
Received 18 Sept 2024 - Decided24/366/PN
Install low voltage overhead line
Park Cottage (Land Near), Rendall, Orkney KW17 2EX
Received 17 Sept 2024 - Unknown21/351/NMV/01
Amend front porch construction
Kingdom Hall, Willow Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NL
Received 20 Sept 2024 - Decided24/367/PP
Erect a substation building
Fall Of Warness, Eday, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2024 - Decided24/368/LB
Construct an external staircase
Stromness Hotel, 15 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA
Received 23 Sept 2024 - Decided24/369/PP
Construct an external staircase
Stromness Hotel, 15 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AA
Received 23 Sept 2024 - Decided24/370/PIP
Siting of two houses and create an access
North House (Land Near), Eday, Orkney,
Received 23 Sept 2024 - Decided24/371/PIP
Siting of a house (in-fill development)
Hallmyre (Land Near), Bloomfield Road, St Ola, Orkney
Received 23 Sept 2024 - Decided24/372/EB
Simplified notification to install a temporary 33KV/114V overhead line span
Fall Of Warness, Eday, Orkney
Received 23 Sept 2024 - Decided24/373/TPP
Erect a replacement house (one for one), erect a shed, install a ground mounted solar array and erect a wind turbine (3 metres)
Quoynethes (Land Near), Honeysgeo Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 24 Sept 2024 - Awaiting decision24/374/MARPN
Replace a feed barge
Veantrow Bay, Shapinsay, Orkney
Received 19 Sept 2024 - Decided24/375/PP
Change of use of two domestic outbuildings to a microbrewery (Class 4) and associated store and external alterations
South Banks, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2RH
Received 25 Sept 2024 - Decided24/376/PP
Reinstate a house and extend, convert redundant buildings to domestic outbuildings, and convert a redundant building to a self-catering unit
Meikleplank, Birsay, Orkney
Received 25 Sept 2024 - Decided24/378/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Hjemdal, Vetquoy Road, Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney KW17 2HT
Received 26 Sept 2024 - Decided24/379/PP
Paint external walls (part retrospective)
Lucano, 31-33 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN
Received 27 Sept 2024 - Decided24/380/LB
Paint external walls (part retrospective)
Lucano, 33 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN
Received 27 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