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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided25/229/PP
Install replacement wall and roof cladding, rainwater goods, and window, and alter bridge
Longhope Lifeboat Museum, Haven Road, Hoy, Orkney KW16 3NZ
Received 25 Jun 2025 - Decided25/230/PP
Install roof-mounted plant and a timber screen (part retrospective)
Albert Hotel, Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LB
Received 25 Jun 2025 - Decided25/231/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump (house for agricultural business)
St Clair Cottage (Land Near), Holm, Orkney KW17 2RZ
Received 26 Jun 2025 - Decided25/232/PP
Erect a house
6 Moar Drive Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 26 Jun 2025 - Decided25/233/HH
Extend a house
11 Bridge Street Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1JD
Received 27 Jun 2025 - Unknown24/234/NMV/01
Amend polycarbonate polytunnel design
Brekka, Cleat Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2RW
Received 15 Jun 2025 - Decided25/235/AD
Display two fascia signs, 3 projecting signs and car park sign
Orkney Housing Association, 39A Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN
Received 1 Jul 2025 - Decided25/236/HH
Erect a shed and install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
12 Citadel Drive, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3EJ
Received 3 Jul 2025 - Decided25/237/PP
Reinstate a house. remove chimney stack, alter openings, install rooflights, and replacement windows and doors, raise footpath, install bin store, timber planters, gate and air source heat pump (resubmission of 25/060/PP)
32 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 3 Jul 2025 - Decided25/238/PP
Change of use from retail (Class 1) to a guest house/hostel (Class 7), extend, create window and door openings, install new and replacement windows and doors, and rainwater goods
11 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 3 Jul 2025 - Decided25/239/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump, and upgrade an access (replacement house) (one for one)
Tufta (Land Near), Vetquoy Road, Sandwick, Orkney
Received 4 Jul 2025 - Decided25/240/PP
Install a temporary 5G mast (maximum height 17.75 metres) (until February 2026)
Coplands Dock, Stromness, Orkney
Received 4 Jul 2025 - Decided25/241/LB
Construct an external staircase (amendment to 24/368/LB)
Stromness Hotel, 15 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AA
Received 7 Jul 2025 - Decided25/244/PP
Upgrade an access
Furrowend, Eday, Orkney KW17 2AB
Received 15 Jul 2025 - Decided25/245/MARSCO
Scoping Opinion
Havbredey Offshore Windfarm
Received 16 Jul 2025 - Decided25/246/PN
Install a wooden pole (8 metres)
2 Clumly Avenue (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1YU
Received 17 Jul 2025 - Decided25/247/PP
Erect two self-catering units with associated landscaping and parking, create an access and install solar array
Westbank (Land Near), Georth Road, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 21 Jul 2025 - Decided25/248/PP
Install a sculpture (retrospective) (amendment in part to application 24/489/PP)
The Pickaquoy Centre, Muddisdale Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LR
Received 21 Jul 2025 - Decided25/249/HH
Extend a house (to create a domestic annex) and install an air source heat pump
Skyelly, Woodwick Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2HD
Received 23 Jul 2025 - Decided25/250/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump (amendment to 24/343/HH).
Aigen, 2 Manse Lane, Stromness Orkney KW16 3BX
Received 24 Jul 2025 - Decided25/251/PP
Erect a shed
Huws Gray Ltd (Land Near), Crowness Crescent, St Ola, Orkney
Received 25 Jul 2025 - Decided25/252/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic (extension of curtilage)
Viewforth (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney
Received 28 Jul 2025 - Decided25/253/PN
Install an 8 metre wooden pole
Roeberry Bungalow (Land Near), South Ronaldsay Orkney
Received 21 Jul 2025 - Unknown24/369/NMV/01
Amend external escape stair upper landing and handrail configuration
Stromness Hotel, 15 Victoria Street, Stromness Orkney KW16 3AA
Received 29 Jul 2025
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