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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided21/466/AMC
Erect a house with integral garage and install an air source heat pump (following permission in principle - 20/310/PIP)
Esnaphy (Plot 2) (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 15 Nov 2021 - Decided21/467/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and upgrade an access
West Howar, Laminess Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 17 Nov 2021 - Decided21/468/PP
Paint external walls and windows and demolish chimney stack (resubmission of 21/089/PP) (retrospective)
74 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BS
Received 17 Nov 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/469/PP
Change of use of land from agriculture to harbour operational land
Hatston Pier/Galt View (Land Near), Hatston Industrial Park, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 17 Nov 2021 - Awaiting decision21/470/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump
Lower House, The Ness, Burness, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AZ
Received 17 Nov 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/471/PP
Convert a redundant building to a house, extend and form openings and install an air source heat pump
Hacco (Land Near), Halley Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 17 Nov 2021 - Decided21/472/PP
Convert a store to a house and install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
Former Hatchery, Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney
Received 19 Nov 2021 - Decided21/473/PP
Change of use from agriculture to community garden, erect three polytunnels/polycrubs and a shed
Milldam (Land Near), Barrenha Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BE
Received 19 Nov 2021 - Decided21/474/PP
Create a temporary hardstanding, bund and access (3 years) (part retrospective)
Cairston Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JT
Received 19 Nov 2021 - Decided21/475/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one)
Hillside (Land Near), Howe Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JU
Received 22 Nov 2021 - Decided21/476/HH
Install replacement windows and rooflights
Rulinvoe, 2 Balfour, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DX
Received 23 Nov 2021 - Decided21/477/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump and create an access
Hewing (Land Near), Redland Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EU
Received 23 Nov 2021 - Decided21/478/HH
Extend a house
Keldabreck, Bigswell Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3LA
Received 24 Nov 2021 - Decided21/456/PP
Convert domestic outbuilding to a self-catering unit, install an air source heat pump, and alter an access
Warrenfield, Bignold Park Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PT
Received 24 Nov 2021 - Decided21/481/HH
Erect a shed and a polycrub (part retrospective)
Tus Nua, Biggings Road, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QG
Received 26 Nov 2021 - Decided21/482/PP
Change of use from fish processing factory (Class 5) to storage, meeting and workshop space for non-residential institutions (Class 10)
Factory, Garson Park, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BL
Received 1 Dec 2021 - Unknown21/479/APN
Erect a GP shed
Heads, Lowertown Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TL
Received 30 Nov 2021 - Decided21/483/LB
Extend a hotel
Ayre Hotel, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QX
Received 2 Dec 2021 - Decided21/484/PP
Extend a hotel including new bar entrance and create outdoor seating area
Ayre Hotel, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QX
Received 2 Dec 2021 - Decided21/485/PP
Remove cement render and lime harl chimney stack and install an alarm
33 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 2 Dec 2021 - Decided21/486/PP
Extend a distillery (whisky and gin) including a shop and cafe, create an access, associated parking and landscaping including flagpole
Newhall, Stove Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ
Received 2 Dec 2021 - Decided21/487/LB
Remove cement render and lime harl chimney stack and install an alarm
33 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 2 Dec 2021 - Decided21/488/PP
Erect 3 houses with integral garage and air source heat pumps (amendment to part of 18/288/PP)
Dalvenna (Land Near), Scapa Brae, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 3 Dec 2021 - Withdrawn/Returned21/489/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump, reinstate redundant building as an outbuilding, and upgrade an access
West Mill House (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JD
Received 3 Dec 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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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