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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided19/371/MARCON
Cable protection works
Ayre Of Cara, Orkney
Received 31 Oct 2019 - Decided19/372/HH
Install external insulation to the rear elevation
15 Balfour, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DX
Received 4 Nov 2019 - Decided19/373/LB
Install external insulation to the rear elevation
15 Balfour, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DX
Received 4 Nov 2019 - Appeal lodged19/374/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and construct a road
Plot 80 The Meadows, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Nov 2019 - Decided19/375/AD
Display a fascia sign
Judith Glue, 25 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 4 Nov 2019 - Decided19/376/PP
Erect 13 houses, upgrade an access and construct a road and drainage works
Cairston Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 6 Nov 2019 - Decided19/377/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Tufta, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JF
Received 8 Nov 2019 - Decided19/378/PIP
Siting of a replacement house
Rossmyre Farm (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth Orkney KW15 1TS
Received 11 Nov 2019 - Decided19/379/APN
Erect a GP shed
Brough, Greenfield, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 11 Nov 2019 - Decided19/380/PP
Extend a hotel
The Albert Hotel, Mounthoolie Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JZ
Received 11 Nov 2019 - Withdrawn/Returned19/381/PP
Extend a school
Glaitness Primary School, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1RP
Received 12 Nov 2019 - Decided19/382/PP
Demolish a house and erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump
Dalwhinnie, Weyland Terrace, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LS
Received 12 Nov 2019 - Decided19/383/MARCON
Application for a variation to marine licence to deploy a wave energy converter
The European Marine Energy Centre, Orkney
Received 13 Nov 2019 - Decided19/384/PP
Erect 2 houses with air source heat pumps and create access
Akranes, East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LX
Received 13 Nov 2019 - Decided19/385/PP
Erect visitor building and construct bridge, footpaths, hardstanding and soakaway
Scapa Distillery, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SE
Received 14 Nov 2019 - Decided19/386/LB
Remove internal partition
Ness House, Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 18 Nov 2019 - Decided19/387/PP
Erect 2 replacement houses with air source heat pumps and alter access (2 x one for one)
Greens (Land Near), Biggings Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 18 Nov 2019 - Decided19/388/HH
Extend a house, replace roof covering, create an access and stop up existing access
Starilie, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TQ
Received 18 Nov 2019 - Decided19/389/PP
Change of use of agricultural land to domestic and erect a garage
Radlap Hillside Road Orkney Islands KW17 2JB
Received 19 Nov 2019 - Decided19/390/PP
Change of Use from shop (Class 1) and office (Class 4) to 3 flats and install 2 air source heat pumps (part retrospective)
3 Castle Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HE
Received 19 Nov 2019 - Decided19/391/PP
Erect a house
Millfield (Plot 2), Stromness, Orkney
Received 20 Nov 2019 - Decided19/392/PP
Erect a replacement house with air source heat pump, and reinstate derelict building as a shed (one for one)
Conyar (Land Near), Russland Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LF
Received 21 Nov 2019 - Decided19/393/PIP
Siting of a house and improve existing access
Rose Cottage (Land Near), Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney KW17 2HT
Received 21 Nov 2019 - Decided19/394/PP
Erect a studio/gallery and create parking
4 Palace Gardens, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LL
Received 22 Nov 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