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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided19/257/PP
Create an access
Cairn House (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PT
Received 24 Jun 2019 - Decided19/258/PP
Erect six accommodation units with air source heat pumps, parking and landscaping (amendment to 18/459/PP)
Mill Hope Caravan, Mill Bay Road, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 25 Jun 2019 - Decided19/259/PP
Erect 12 semi-detached houses
The Crafty, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RJ
Received 26 Jun 2019 - Decided19/260/PP
Erect a boat shed
Bayview (Land Near), Gill Pier Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DL
Received 26 Jun 2019 - Decided19/261/LB
Demolish concrete wall, erect a replacement stone wall, and install railings and gates (part retrospective) (amendment to 16/286/LB)
Ivy House, 43 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 27 Jun 2019 - Decided19/262/PP
Change of use of yard from storage to a bus depot, including welfare cabin (retrospective)
Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 28 Jun 2019 - Decided19/263/PP
Install 7 air source heat pumps
Plots 56 To 62, The Meadows, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 28 Jun 2019 - Decided19/264/S36CON
Application for consent under section 36 of The Electricity Act 1989 (As Amended) to construct and operate a wave test site
Billia Croo
Received 1 Jul 2019 - Decided19/265/HH
Extend a house
Hundland, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2NB
Received 4 Jul 2019 - Decided19/256/TPO
Fell a sycamore
Fairholm, Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EQ
Received 4 Jul 2019 - Decided19/266/PP
Install four air conditioning units and a screen
53 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 4 Jul 2019 - Decided19/267/LB
Repoint gable elevation, replace stone pilasters and install three air source heat pumps with timber housing.
Kirkwall Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 5 Jul 2019 - Decided19/268/PP
Erect a house with air source heat pump
Grobust (Land Near), 2 Peerie Sea Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UH
Received 8 Jul 2019 - Decided19/269/PP
Demolish extensions, form openings and render wall (part retrospective)
27 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AG
Received 10 Jul 2019 - Decided19/270/AMC
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access (following permission - 16/390/PIP)
Bishops (Land Near), Horries Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 10 Jul 2019 - Withdrawn/Returned19/271/PP
Demolish former bus station and change of use of land to car park
Former Bus Station, Great Western Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 10 Jul 2019 - Decided19/273/HH
Install an air source heat pump with timber housing
19 Garden Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JA
Received 11 Jul 2019 - Decided19/274/PP
Repoint gable elevation, form window opening, install window, replacement door and three air source heat pumps (part retrospective) (amendment to 18/263/PP)
Kirkwall Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 16 Jul 2019 - Decided19/275/PP
Replace roof covering and install ridge tiles
40 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 16 Jul 2019 - Decided19/276/LB
Re-render two walls and replace chimney stack copings and pots
17 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 17 Jul 2019 - Decided19/277/PP
Re-render two walls and replace chimney stack copings and pots
17 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 17 Jul 2019 - Decided19/278/PP
Erect a replacement house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (one for one), and change of use of land from domestic to agricultural (amendment to 19/145/PP)
Ben Earn, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JU
Received 17 Jul 2019 - Decided19/279/LB
Install replacement windows and rainwater goods, replace roof covering, and paint external walls
Ness House, Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 18 Jul 2019 - Decided19/280/HH
Install replacement windows and rainwater goods, replace roof covering, and paint external walls
Ness House, Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 18 Jul 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
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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