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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided21/273/PP
Change of use from shop (Class 1) to office (Class 2)
24 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 5 Jul 2021 - Decided21/276/TC
Prune a mature tree
7 School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JG
Received 6 Jul 2021 - Unknown21/096/NMV/01
Amend window design and stone cladding in south east elevation
Lower Durrisdale (Land Near), Jubidee Road, Evie
Received 6 Jul 2021 - Decided21/277/MARCON
Installation of Rock Anchors
Hatston Pier, Kirkwall
Received 6 Jul 2021 - Decided21/279/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and alter an access (retrospective) (amendment to part of 19/387/PP)
Greens (Plot 1), Toab, Orkney
Received 7 Jul 2021 - Decided21/280/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and alter an access (retrospective) (amendment to part of 19/387/PP)
Greens (Plot 2), Toab, Orkney
Received 7 Jul 2021 - Decided21/282/EB
Retrospective Low Voltage Overhead Line (second supply from existing line installed under Exemption Regulations
Geddestall (Land Near), Wester, Rousay, Orkney
Received 6 Jul 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/283/PIP
Siting of a house
Redlums (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 9 Jul 2021 - Decided21/284/HH
Install two rooflights
73 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD
Received 12 Jul 2021 - Decided21/285/LB
Install replacement windows
Quoy Of Houton, Tower Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RD
Received 9 Jul 2021 - Decided21/287/PP
Erect an agricultural shed
Backaland, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 14 Jul 2021 - Decided21/288/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Rose Ness, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SB
Received 15 Jul 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/289/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and alter an access
Rose Cottage (Land Near), Dounby, Orkney
Received 15 Jul 2021 - Decided21/290/HH
Extend a house
Bayview, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 15 Jul 2021 - Decided21/293/PIP
Siting of a house and create an access (subdivision of curtilage)
Scarrataing (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney
Received 19 Jul 2021 - Unknown21/294/APN
Erect a GP shed
Brendale, Courquoy Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 20 Jul 2021 - Decided21/295/PP
Change of use from guesthouse (class 7) to a house (class 9)
Hammersmith, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 22 Jul 2021 - Decided21/296/APN
Erect a GP shed
Garth, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 20 Jul 2021 - Decided21/297/PP
Reinstate a redundant house and install an air source heat pump and erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump (two for one) and upgrade an access (amendment to 20/448/PP)
Norton House (Land Near), Northfield Road, Burray, Orkney
Received 21 Jul 2021 - Decided21/298/PP
Re-point walls and alter stonework, paint handrails and prune trees
Stromness Town Hall, Church Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 23 Jul 2021 - Decided21/299/LB
Remove cement mortar and point with lime mortar , stone replacement, repair and de-scaling, replace glass and paint handrails
Stromness Town Hall, Church Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 23 Jul 2021 - Decided21/300/PP
Install a water tank, boreholes and associated pipework
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 26 Jul 2021 - Decided21/302/PP
Convert a redundant building to a house (part amendment to 10/268/PP)
Quoyburray Inn (Land Near), St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 26 Jul 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/303/PP
Change of use of land from domestic to agriculture and erect a general purpose shed
Daisy Cottage, Brinian Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 26 Jul 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