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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided21/384/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Long House (Land Near), South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/385/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Lea Craig (Land Near), Flotta, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/386/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump and create an access
Millhouse (Land Near), Netherhouse Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LA
Received 22 Sept 2021 - Decided21/389/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Sands Of Evie Car Park (Land Near) Evie, Orkney,
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/390/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Westness Farm, Westness, Rousay, Orkney,
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/391/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Bay Of Sandgart (Land Near), Shapinsay, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/392/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Heatherhouse Farm (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/393/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Southhouse (Land Near), Guith Road, Eday, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/394/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Helzie, Ness Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/395/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Stove (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/396/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Sands Of Odie/ Linksness Farm (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW172AT
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/397/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Bay Of London (Land Near), Eday, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Decided21/398/PN
Install underground apparatus duct with joint boxes and cabinet
Gornside (Land Near), Gump Of Spurness, Sanday, Orkney
Received 20 Sept 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/399/PIP
Siting of 12 houses and create an access
Souley Cottage (Land Near), Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney
Received 24 Sept 2021 - Decided21/400/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Lesliedale (Land Near). Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TR
Received 27 Sept 2021 - Decided21/402/PP
Create a hardstanding and access
Lythe (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney
Received 27 Sept 2021 - Decided21/403/AMC
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (following permission in principle - 20/133/PIP)
Maberlea (Land Near), Newark Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QT
Received 28 Sept 2021 - Decided21/404/HH
Install replacement windows, doors and garage door, and clad and re-roof garage
7 South End, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DJ
Received 29 Sept 2021 - Decided21/405/LB
Install replacement windows, doors and garage door, and clad and re-roof garage
7 South End, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DJ
Received 29 Sept 2021 - Decided21/406/PP
Erect a house (in-fill development) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump, reinstate redundant buildings as outbuildings, and create an access
Cornesquoy (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RE
Received 27 Sept 2021 - Decided21/407/MARCON
Undertake works at a location below the level of mean high water springs
Eynhallow Sound, Orkney
Received 30 Sept 2021 - Decided21/408/MARCON
Marine licences have been requested under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has also been submitted under the Marine Works (EIA) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 along with supporting documentation.
Scammalin Bay, Faray, Orkney
Received 30 Sept 2021 - Unknown14/367/NMV/02
Change of roof finish from concrete tiles to profiled steel sheeting
Mayfield, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 28 Sept 2021 - Unknown20/280/NMV/01
Change of window frame colour from white to grey
Site 4, Westermill, Burray, Orkney
Received 28 Sept 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
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