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
139Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,077 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 15 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Withdrawn/Returned19/043/HH
Install an air source heat pump and create an access (retrospective)
2 Ingale, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UY
Received 29 Jan 2019 - Decided19/044/HH
Erect a domestic outbuilding
Herra, Auster Road, Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RB
Received 29 Jan 2019 - Decided19/045/LB
Display a fascia sign
8 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 31 Jan 2019 - Decided19/047/PP
Install two air source heat pumps
Catholic Church, Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AZ
Received 1 Feb 2019 - Decided19/048/PP
Erect a general purpose agricultural shed
Colligarth Farm, Lady, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BW
Received 4 Feb 2019 - Decided19/051/PIP
Siting of a house
Longabar, Linkshouse Road, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 5 Feb 2019 - Withdrawn/Returned19/052/AMC
Erect a house and create an access (following permission in principle - 16/561/PIP)
Ayreside (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NZ
Received 6 Feb 2019 - Decided19/053/HH
Extend a house
Sherren, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 7 Feb 2019 - Decided19/054/PIP
Siting of a house
Cleatfurrows (Land Near), Birsay. Orkney,
Received 8 Feb 2019 - Decided19/055/HH
Extend a house
5 Papdale Close, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QP
Received 8 Feb 2019 - Decided19/057/OBL
Discharge a Section 75 planning obligation
Svala Brae, Newark Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QP
Received 11 Feb 2019 - Decided19/058/AMC
Erect a replacement house (following planning in principle - 16/010/PIP)
Barm (Land Near), Redland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 11 Feb 2019 - Decided19/059/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and extend a house (resubmission of 18/461/PP)
Hamarfiold, Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 11 Feb 2019 - Withdrawn/Returned19/060/MARCON
Install a temporary testing platform
Howequoy Head, Holm, Orkney
Received 12 Feb 2019 - Decided19/061/PP
Erect 3 camping pods with associated landscaping and create an access
Redland, Redland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 13 Feb 2019 - Decided19/062/PP
Erect a slatted byre
Withaquoy, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 13 Feb 2019 - Decided19/063/PP
Erect a house with a detached garage and an air source heat pump and create an access
Vola (Land Near), Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NY
Received 13 Feb 2019 - Decided19/064/PP
Change of use from a house to a craft workshop, shop and cafe
Shalom, Lyde Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LA
Received 13 Feb 2019 - Withdrawn/Returned19/065/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access (subdivision of curtilage)
Fea (Land Near), Mussaquoy Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 14 Feb 2019 - Decided19/066/APN
Erect a GP shed
Nigley, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 18 Feb 2019 - Decided19/067/APN
Erect a GP shed
Queenamoan, Swartland Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JQ
Received 19 Feb 2019 - Decided19/068/PP
Install three air source heat pumps
Hoy Hotel, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NT
Received 20 Feb 2019 - Decided19/069/PP
Change of use of sheds from agricultural to distillery
Onziebust, Russness Road, Wyre, Orkney, KW17 2QA
Received 21 Feb 2019 - Decided19/070/PP
Erect a slatted byre
Biggings, Biggings Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RX
Received 21 Feb 2019
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
All planning guides
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Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
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