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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided20/250/HH
Erect a domestic shed
Inishtrahull, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SD
Received 13 Jul 2020 - Decided20/251/APN
Erect a GP shed and create access
Strathkelda, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 13 Jul 2020 - Decided20/252/HH
Extend a house
Innister, Wasbister Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 14 Jul 2020 - Decided20/253/PP
Erect two houses
Macdonald Park, St Margarets Hope, Orkney
Received 14 Jul 2020 - Decided20/254/PP
Erect a 7 metre telecommunications tower
Telephone Exchange, Papa Westray, Orkney
Received 14 Jul 2020 - Decided20/256/PP
Erect a polycrub
Freehall (Land Near), Airafea Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AF
Received 16 Jul 2020 - Decided20/257/HH
Re-roof, install replacement windows and doors, and paint external walls (resubmission of 20/165/HH)
72 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BS
Received 17 Jul 2020 - Decided20/258/PP
Demolish a house and erect a house with an air source heat pump
Lower Palace, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 20 Jul 2020 - Decided20/259/HH
Re-roof with Orkney slate and Welsh slate, install rooflights and replacement rainwater goods, form four window openings, and install new and replacement windows and door
6 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 21 Jul 2020 - Decided20/260/LB
Re-roof with Orkney slate and Welsh slate, install rooflights and replacement rainwater goods, form four window openings, install new and replacement windows and door, and remove all interior structure and fittings and replace
6 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 21 Jul 2020 - Decided20/261/HH
Extend a house
St Clair, Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TW
Received 22 Jul 2020 - Decided20/262/REG62
Regulation 62 application to carry out development granted by a general development order, to replace an overhead line
Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney
Received 23 Jul 2020 - Decided20/264/APN
Erect a GP shed
Kirbuster, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3PQ
Received 27 Jul 2020 - Decided20/265/PP
Upgrade an access, construct an access road, relocate a ditch, and associated landscaping
Hall Of Clestrain, Orphir, Orkney, KW16 3HB
Received 27 Jul 2020 - Decided20/266/PP
Erect two houses
12 And 13 Repeater Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 28 Jul 2020 - Decided20/267/PP
Erect eight houses with associated car parking and landscaping, and upgrade public road and footpath
Garson (Phase 5), Copland Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 28 Jul 2020 - Withdrawn/Returned20/269/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and create an access
Newcott (Land Near), Ireland Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3EZ
Received 3 Aug 2020 - Decided20/270/PP
Erect a 25m lattice telecommunications mast with 4 antennae, cabinets, pole-mounted satellite dish and generator, create a fenced enclosure, create an access and install a track
Crow's Nest (Land Near), Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NJ
Received 3 Aug 2020 - Decided20/271/HH
Extend a house
Beesbreck, Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 4 Aug 2020 - Decided20/272/HH
Extend a house
Gaitnip, Northside Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LU
Received 5 Aug 2020 - Decided20/273/PP
Reinstate a redundant house, extend and install an air source heat pump and erect a replacement house with integral garage and air source heat pump (two for one)
Breck, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 7 Aug 2020 - Decided20/274/AD
Display fascia signage, hanging signs and other external and window advertisements
3 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 7 Aug 2020 - Decided20/275/PP
Erect a slatted byre
Stembister, Stembister Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 7 Aug 2020 - Decided20/276/HH
Remove stone slates, install Welsh slates, fascia and replacement rainwater goods and reduce chimney stack (part retrospective)
The Nook, 24 Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 Aug 2020
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