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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided21/170/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage
Lynnburn, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RZ
Received 22 Apr 2021 - Decided21/171/HH
Extend a house
Virginia Cottage, Grimeston Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JT
Received 23 Apr 2021 - Decided21/173/MARCON
Undertake alterations to marine farm
Chalmers Hope, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 21 Apr 2021 - Decided21/174/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a fish farming site (replacement of existing equipment)
Bring Head Fish Farm, Hoy, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 23 Apr 2021 - Unknown21/175/MARSS
Screening and scoping request to create a fish farming site (replacement of existing equipment)
Toyness Fish Farm, Orphir, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Received 23 Apr 2021 - Decided21/176/LB
Retain building in current condition following collapse of ventilation stack
Wee Fea Communications Building And Underground Oil Tanks, Hoy, Orkney
Received 26 Apr 2021 - Decided21/177/HH
Extend a house
Lochside, Stoneyhill Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3HQ
Received 27 Apr 2021 - Decided21/178/MARCON
Undertake works at a location below the level of Mean High Water Springs
Billia Croo Wave Test Site, Orkney
Received 26 Apr 2021 - Decided21/179/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access (resubmission of 21/077/PP)
Blossom (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 27 Apr 2021 - Decided21/180/PP
Reinstate and extend a house, install an air source heat pump, erect a polycrub and temporary siting of a caravan (resubmission of 20/381/PP)
Fursbreck, Harray, Orkney
Received 27 Apr 2021 - Decided21/181/LB
Install three replacement windows
Cumpar (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 27 Apr 2021 - Decided21/182/PP
Change of use of land to domestic and erect a domestic shed
Sandgarth, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2EA
Received 28 Apr 2021 - Decided21/183/HH
Extend a house, install an air source heat pump and create an access (part retrospective)
Springfield Cottage, Back Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AW
Received 28 Apr 2021 - Decided21/184/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump, detached garage and create an access (resubmission of 21/117/PP)
Ploverhall (Land Near), Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PS
Received 29 Apr 2021 - Decided21/185/MLSCO
Expansion of pier and harbour
Hatston Pier, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 21 Apr 2021 - Decided21/186/MLSCO
The Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (as amended) (the EIA Regulations)
Scapa Deep Water Quay, Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands
Received 21 Apr 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/187/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and integral garage and convert a redundant building to a house (two for one)
Nap, Hillfield Road, Burray, Orkney
Received 30 Apr 2021 - Decided21/188/PP
Erect two houses with air source heat pumps and detached garages and create accesses
Isles View (Land Near), Hescombe Road, Stronsay, Orkney
Received 30 Apr 2021 - Decided21/191/PP
Change of use from store to gymnasium (Class 11)
18 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 3 May 2021 - Decided21/193/PP
Paint external walls, windows and door, and alter shop front
30 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HQ
Received 3 May 2021 - Decided21/194/PP
Paint external walls, windows and door
17 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 3 May 2021 - Decided21/195/LB
Display a projecting sign
73 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BS
Received 3 May 2021 - Decided21/196/PP
Install an EV charger
Billia Croo Sub Station, Outertown Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 3 May 2021 - Decided21/197/HH
Extend a house
Honeysgoe, Honeysgeo Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2TH
Received 4 May 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