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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided18/511/APN
Erect a GP shed
Walkerhouse, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LY
Received 3 Dec 2018 - Decided18/512/PP
Temporary extension to travel centre site to include bus stances, associated infrastructure, and hoarding
The Travel Centre, West Castle Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1GU
Received 3 Dec 2018 - Decided18/513/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and create an access
Fueld (Land Near), Aikerness Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 3 Dec 2018 - Decided18/514/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
The Bungalow (Land Near), Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2HT
Received 4 Dec 2018 - Withdrawn/Returned18/515/PP
Erect 16 houses with air source heat pumps, some with integral garages, construct an access, footway, road, reedbed, treatment plants and soakaway, and associated landscaping
Greenfield House (Land Near), Greenfield, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 4 Dec 2018 - Decided18/516/APN
Erect a GP shed
Burnside, Linnadale Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RP
Received 5 Dec 2018 - Decided18/517/PIP
Siting of a house
Furrowend (Land Near), Westhill Road, Shapinsay, Orkney KW17 2DY
Received 6 Dec 2018 - Decided18/518/HH
Install replacement rooflights, remove pipe and install plaque (part retrospective)
20 Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LE
Received 6 Dec 2018 - Decided18/519/LB
Install replacement rooflights, remove pipe and install plaque (part retrospective)
20 Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LE
Received 6 Dec 2018 - Decided18/521/PN
Install a telecommunications box
East Moss (Land Near), Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 10 Dec 2018 - Decided18/522/APN
Erect a GP shed
Bea Ballarat Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LE
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/523/PP
Change of use from retail (Class 1) to cafe (Class 3), install windows and rooflight, paint walls and windows, and install air source heat pump
42 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/524/PP
Erect a shed
Kirkland, Rousay, Orkney
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/525/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and create an access
South Seatter, Yesnaby Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LP
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/520/PP
Erect a house with a detached garage and an air source heat pump
Whitehall Farm, Whitehall Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AT
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/526/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Castlehame (Land Near), Plot 2, St Ola, Orkney
Received 11 Dec 2018 - Decided18/527/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (amendment to 16/303/PP)
Eastbrae (Plot 7), Stromness
Received 12 Dec 2018 - Decided18/528/HH
Extend a house
Syradale, North Horraldsay Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2ES
Received 12 Dec 2018 - Decided18/529/PP
Change of use to a shop (Class 1) and extend to create an office, install an air source heat pump, and temporary siting of cabins as a shop
Unit 1, The Quarry Road, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DF
Received 12 Dec 2018 - Decided18/530/PP
Install two air source heat pumps (retrospective)
Finstown Church, Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EG
Received 17 Dec 2018 - Decided18/531/HH
Extend a house and create an access
Burn Villa, Weyland Terrace, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LS
Received 17 Dec 2018 - Decided18/532/APN
Erect a GP shed
Diamonds Farm, Stove Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 18 Dec 2018 - Decided18/533/PP
Erect 2 houses and 12 flats, create access and construct road with parking, extend cycle/footpath, construct a detention basin and outfall, and associated landscaping
Weyland Housing Development (Phase 1), Carness Road, Kirkwall
Received 19 Dec 2018 - Decided18/534/AD
Display signage
Covingtrie House, Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LB
Received 19 Dec 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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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