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 dates11,978Searchable applications
137Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,076 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,642 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 14 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided18/141/PP
Erect a house (subdivision of curtilage) and create an access
Auld Sooth Kirk, Shore Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 9 Apr 2018 - Decided18/142/LB
Display signage and minor internal alterations
31 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 9 Apr 2018 - Decided18/143/HH
Extend a house
The Old Manse, Manse Road, Longhope, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3PA
Received 10 Apr 2018 - Decided18/144/PP
Install two picnic benches
North Culdigo (Land Near), North Road, Egilsay, Orkney, KW17 2QD
Received 10 Apr 2018 - Decided18/145/PP
Erect a 10m lattice tower and install a cabinet
Upper Hammerfield (Land Near), Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 10 Apr 2018 - Decided18/146/LB
Rebuild sections of wall, re-install stone roof slates and install replacement door and window
1 North Ness, North Ness Road, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NY
Received 10 Apr 2018 - Decided18/147/HH
Erect a domestic outbuilding
Benalbanach, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 11 Apr 2018 - Decided18/148/PN
Relocate two electricity poles
Hillfield (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 11 Apr 2018 - Decided18/149/PP
Reinstate a house, re-slate roof, lime render walls, and install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods
134 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BU
Received 12 Apr 2018 - Decided18/150/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump (one for one), create an access, and stop up existing access
Newhall (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LN
Received 12 Apr 2018 - Decided18/151/HH
Extend a house
Quoyloo Cottage, Quoyloo, Orkney, KW16 3LY
Received 12 Apr 2018 - Decided18/152/HH
Extend a house
Lower Berryhill, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 13 Apr 2018 - Decided18/153/PP
Change of use from a store (Class 6) to a bar
18 Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 13 Apr 2018 - Decided18/154/HH
Extend a house and fell a tree
Tarbet Villa, Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EQ
Received 16 Apr 2018 - Decided18/156/HH
Demolish outbuilding and erect replacement outbuilding
Wellpark, Willowburn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NE
Received 17 Apr 2018 - Decided18/157/HH
Install a gate
8 Queen Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JE
Received 18 Apr 2018 - Decided18/159/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Feaval, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LT
Received 18 Apr 2018 - Decided18/160/PP
Change of use from information centre (Class 1) to cafe (Class 3) and takeaway
Terminal Building, Ferry Road, Stromness
Received 18 Apr 2018 - Decided18/161/HH
Install replacement windows
25 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN
Received 13 Apr 2018 - Decided18/162/APN
Erect a GP shed
Banks, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 19 Apr 2018 - Decided18/163/LB
Form window openings, remove balcony and balustrade, install replacement windows, render wall and minor internal alterations
8 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 20 Apr 2018 - Decided18/164/PP
Change of use of gallery to domestic, form window openings, remove balcony and balustrade, install replacement windows, and render wall
8 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 20 Apr 2018 - Decided18/165/PP
Erect four houses (amendment to 10/385/PP and 15/319/PP)
Breckan Brae (Plots 8A, 8B, 9 & 10), St Mary's, Holm, Orkney
Received 23 Apr 2018 - Decided18/166/PIP
Siting of two houses (re-submission of 16/509/PIP)
Fish Factory, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 23 Apr 2018
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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Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
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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