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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided21/099/LB
Alterations to gravestones to meet repair standards
St Nicholas Church, Cornquoy Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SD
Received 9 Mar 2021 - Decided21/100/LB
Alterations to gravestones to meet repair standards
St Peter's Church, Kirkhouse Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 9 Mar 2021 - Unknown20/155/NMV/01
6A to be moved back 1.5m
Eastbrae (Plot 6A & 6B), Stromness, Orkney
Received 9 Mar 2021 - Decided21/101/LB
Install a boiler and flue
2 South End, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DJ
Received 9 Mar 2021 - Decided21/102/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Seaview, Annfield Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QP
Received 10 Mar 2021 - Decided21/103/PP
Erect a 12m telecommunications lattice tower and antennae
Gable End, North Walls, Hoy, Orkney
Received 11 Mar 2021 - Decided21/104/PP
Erect a house
Plot 14 Damsay View, Finstown, Orkney
Received 12 Mar 2021 - Decided21/105/PP
Convert two redundant buildings to a house and self-catering unit and extend
Donnersbrae, Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 12 Mar 2021 - Decided21/106/PP
Erect a 12m lattice telecommunications tower with antennae and associated cabinet
Woo (Land Near), Grimbust Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 12 Mar 2021 - Decided21/107/PP
Amend roof pitch, extend, install an air source heat pump, and alter access, and remove condition 09 (functional link with adjacent house) (part-retrospective) (amendment to 15/378/PP)
Kerriday, Village Road, Burray Village, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 15 Mar 2021 - Decided21/108/PP
Erect a slatted byre
Barns Of Ayre, Aikerskaill Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 16 Mar 2021 - Unknown20/360/NMV/01
Move window on rear of garage and install a back door.
Lower Valley Smoogro Road Orphir Orkney Islands
Received 16 Mar 2021 - Decided21/109/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump, create an access and temporary siting of two caravans
Evie Church (Land Near), Evie Village, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PH
Received 16 Mar 2021 - Unknown19/217/NMV/03
Change from Natural Rossendale stone to Natural Autumn Gold on porches (Plots 35 - 39 inclusive).
Plots 35-39 Breckan Brae (Land Near) St Marys Holm Orkney Islands
Received 18 Mar 2021 - Unknown17/380/NMV/02
Change of external base detail from brick to cement render, removal of door to extension cafe glazing, development of external path network and lighting.
Scapa Flow Visitor Centre Hoy Orkney Islands KW16 3NT
Received 18 Mar 2021 - Decided21/110/LB
Install bollards in boom slab
Scapa Flow Visitor Centre, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NT
Received 5 Mar 2021 - Decided21/111/HH
Lime harl a chimney stack
10 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 18 Mar 2021 - Decided21/112/LB
Lime harl a chimney stack
10 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 18 Mar 2021 - Unknown21/114/APN
Erect a GP shed
Eastbrae, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 19 Mar 2021 - Decided21/115/PP
Erect an agricultural shed
Ossquoy, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RN
Received 19 Mar 2021 - Decided21/116/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump and retain historic building (resubmission of 20/440/PP)
Newhaven (Land Near), Bryameadow Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JH
Received 22 Mar 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/117/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump, detached garage and create an access
Ploverhall (Land Near), Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 22 Mar 2021 - Unknown20/060/NMV/01
Remove window to west elevation, continue steel cladding onto roof to replace turf and reposition store entrance door and window to store
Brekkaby (Land To The West Of), Rousay, Orkney
Received 22 Mar 2021 - Decided21/118/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and a detached garage and outbuilding (resubmission of 20/358/PP)
Overbister (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 23 Mar 2021
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