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9,642 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided18/244/PIP
Siting of a house (resubmission of 17/210/PIP)
The Mill, Wyre, Orkney, KW17 2QA
Received 18 Jun 2018 - Decided18/245/SCO
Scoping opinion request for 3 x 3.5MW turbines (maximum height 125m)
Hammars Hill, Evie, Orkney
Received 18 Jun 2018 - Decided18/246/SCO
Scoping opinion request for 8 x 3.5MW turbines (maximum height 125m), Solar array (50 acres approximately), energy storage facility and associated works
Rothiesholm, Stronsay, Orkney
Received 18 Jun 2018 - Decided18/247/PN
Install a pole, antennae, 2 cabinets and associated works
Heddle Road (Land Near), Finstown, Orkney
Received 15 Jun 2018 - Decided18/248/PP
Install a pole, antennae, 2 cabinets and associated works
Back Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney KW16 3DT
Received 18 Jun 2018 - Decided18/249/PN
Install a pole, antennae, 2 cabinets and associated works
Watson, Burray Village, Orkney, KW17 2TX
Received 18 Jun 2018 - Decided18/250/PP
Erect a replacement house
East Nearhouse, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 19 Jun 2018 - Decided18/251/LB
Install internal wall insulation, boiler and radiators, and remove partition (retrospective)
Quivals, Otterswick Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BN
Received 19 Jun 2018 - Decided18/252/PP
Reinstate a house, extend and create an access (re-submission of 17/235/PP)
Quoypettie, Deerness, Orkney
Received 20 Jun 2018 - Decided18/253/LB
Install replacement windows and doors, re-roof, remodel existing buildings, and extend
Quoypettie, Deerness Orkney
Received 21 Jun 2018 - Decided18/254/APN
Erect a GP shed
Brendale, Courquoy Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 21 Jun 2018 - Decided18/255/MARPN
Reposition feed barge
Westerbister, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 21 Jun 2018 - Decided18/256/PIP
Siting of a house
Glenavon (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney
Received 22 Jun 2018 - Decided18/257/AMC
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and a detached garage (following permission in principle - 16/578/PIP)
Sunnyside (Plot 4), St Ola, Orkney
Received 22 Jun 2018 - Decided18/258/PP
Change of use of land to domestic and erect a garage
Mayfield Farmhouse, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 25 Jun 2018 - Withdrawn/Returned18/259/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and an integral garage (subdivision of curtilage)
Heddle Cottage (Land Near) Heddle Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2JX
Received 25 Jun 2018 - Decided18/261/PN
Install a telecommunications box
Mill Of Rango (Land Near), Sandwick, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JB
Received 26 Jun 2018 - Decided18/262/LB
Form window opening, install window, replacement door, and air source heat pump, and internal alterations
Kirkwall Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 26 Jun 2018 - Decided18/263/PP
Form window opening, install window, replacement door, and air source heat pump
Kirkwall Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 29 Jun 2018 - Withdrawn/Returned18/265/VR
Vary condition 1 of planning permission 17/353/VR to allow the retention of the Met Mast until 30 December 2018
Hesta Head (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 2 Jul 2018 - Withdrawn/Returned18/266/VR
Vary condition 1 of planning permission 17/354/VR to allow the retention of the Met Mast until 30 December 2018
Costa Head (Land Near), Birsay, Orkney
Received 2 Jul 2018 - Decided18/267/PP
Convert redundant store to four flats
42 Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AG
Received 2 Jul 2018 - Decided18/268/TPP
Erect a 25kw wind turbine (maximum height 27.2m)
Gairth, Corston, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LQ
Received 2 Jul 2018 - Decided18/270/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (amendment to 18/064/PP)
Upper Waston Road (Plot 2), Westermill, Burray, Orkney
Received 5 Jul 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