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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided20/322/PP
Erect an agricultural shed
Branstane, Branstane Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DD
Received 21 Sept 2020 - Decided20/323/PP
Erect 28 houses with air source heat pumps, construct a road, sections of footpath, and drainage infrastructure including SuDS basin and associated landscaping and infrastructure
Phase 1, Walliwall (Land Near) (K5), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 22 Sept 2020 - Decided20/324/PP
Construct a footpath with surface water drainage swale and outfall
Muddisdale (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 22 Sept 2020 - Withdrawn/Returned20/327/PIP
Siting of a house with access track
Starilie (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TQ
Received 21 Sept 2020 - Decided20/328/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and retain existing building (one for one) (amendment to 19/102/PP)
Blackha', Work Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UF
Received 23 Sept 2020 - Decided20/329/LB
Install slabs, bin enclosure and a light fitting
Sheriff Court, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PD
Received 23 Sept 2020 - Decided20/330/HH
Install two air source heat pumps (retrospective)
Nordavoe, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2NZ
Received 29 Sept 2020 - Decided20/331/PP
Erect a replacement house with an integral garage (one for one) and create an access
Galeed, Stenness, Orkney
Received 29 Sept 2020 - Decided20/332/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic, extend a house and erect a detached garage (amendment to 20/300/PP)
An Darrach, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 29 Sept 2020 - Unknown18/288/NMV/01
Reposition bin store
Dalvenna, Scapa Brae, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 30 Sept 2020 - Decided20/333/PP
Erect an agricultural shed and slatted court (retrospective)
Kirkhouse, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RH
Received 30 Sept 2020 - Decided20/334/PP
Install small-scale scientific instruments
Billia Croo Sub Station, Outertown Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 30 Sept 2020 - Decided20/335/LB
Install a plaque
Old Manse, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney KW17 2LX
Received 30 Sept 2020 - Unknown19/213/NMV/01
Extend footprint of extension
Anchorfast Buildings, Pier Road, Longhope, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3PG
Received 30 Sept 2020 - Decided20/337/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
Kardomah, 23 Scapa Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RL
Received 2 Oct 2020 - Decided20/338/AMC
Erect a house with an integral garage (following permission in principle - 17/212/PIP)
Plot 3 St Clair (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TW
Received 2 Oct 2020 - Decided20/339/AMC
Erect a house with an integral garage (Following permission in principle - 17/212/PIP)
Plot 4 St Clair (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TW
Received 2 Oct 2020 - Decided20/340/PP
Reinstate and extend a house
Tullochs, Bigging, Weaverhall Road, Stromness, KW16 3JP
Received 5 Oct 2020 - Decided20/341/HH
Extend a house and erect a garage
Heatherlea, Wattle Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LR
Received 5 Oct 2020 - Unknown18/341/NMV/02
Replacement of damaged roof covering to the existing one storey extension [central area]. Addition of a smoke vent rooflight to north facing slate roof as per Building Standard requirements.
Linkshouse, Linkshouse Road, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 5 Oct 2020 - Decided20/342/APN
Erect a GP shed
Burnside, Pharays Park Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DW
Received 7 Oct 2020 - Decided20/343/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump
Bankhead (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney KW17 2JF
Received 7 Oct 2020 - Decided20/344/PP
Change of use from office (Class 2) to beauty salon
3 Mackay Buildings, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 7 Oct 2020 - Decided20/347/PP
Erect a shed to house batteries and create an access
Caldale Substation, Westside Road, Eday, Orkney
Received 9 Oct 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
All planning guides
Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
UK researchPublished Updated
Property research · 13 min read
Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
UK researchPublished Updated
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