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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Withdrawn/Returned21/516/EB
Simplified Notification for extension to duration of temporray overhead line
Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney
Received 23 Dec 2021 - Decided21/517/HH
Install solar array and an air source heat pump
Chaos, Petertown Road, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RE
Received 31 Dec 2021 - Decided21/518/HH
Erect a garage with raised patio, boundary walls and install paving and oil tank
The Smiddy, Mill Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NL
Received 31 Dec 2021 - Decided22/001/TC
Fell a sycamore
Victoria Halls (Land Near), Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 3 Jan 2022 - Decided22/002/PP
Install two refrigeration condensing units with housing
71 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 7 Jan 2022 - Decided22/003/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and erect an outbuilding (part retrospective)
St Columbas House, Lower Whitehall Road, Whitehall, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AS
Received 10 Jan 2022 - Unknown20/360/NMV/02
Change the windows in dressing room and ensuite (Right side South East Elevation) to escape windows to comply with Building Standards
Lower Valley, Smoogro Road, Orphir, Orkney,
Received 5 Jan 2022 - Decided22/004/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic
Hestia, Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 12 Jan 2022 - Decided22/005/HH
Extend and re-roof a house
Quoyscottie, Cloke Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2HY
Received 13 Jan 2022 - Decided22/006/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and a detached garage and upgrade an access
Mucklehouse, Brims Road, Hoy, Orkney KW16 3NZ
Received 13 Jan 2022 - Unknown19/117/NMV/01
Amendment to floor and roof levels
Kirkwall Bowling Club, Brandyquoy, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 17 Jan 2022 - Decided22/007/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Queenafjold, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LZ
Received 11 Jan 2022 - Decided22/009/PP
Convert a redundant building to a house, extend and form openings and install an air source heat pump (resubmission of 21/471/PP)
Hacco (Land Near), Halley Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 17 Jan 2022 - Decided22/010/AMC
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump and a detached garage and alter an access (following planning permission in principle 18/223/PIP)
Weathertop, North Bigging Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2HZ
Received 18 Jan 2022 - Decided22/011/PP
Install a water main with associated connections
Andersquoy, Corse Farm & Glaitness Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 18 Jan 2022 - Decided22/012/PP
Construct a gravel and boardwalk footpath with benches, landscaping and associated parking
Kingarly Turbine (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 19 Jan 2022 - Decided22/013/HH
Extend a house and demolish a redundant outbuilding
Hewin, Whitemire Road, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2NL
Received 19 Jan 2022 - Decided22/015/PIP
Siting of 12 houses, create an access and upgrade existing access (resubmission of 21/399/PIP)
Souley Cottage (Land Near), Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney
Received 20 Jan 2022 - Decided22/016/HH
Extend a house (amendment to 21/361/HH)
Holladene, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PY
Received 20 Jan 2022 - Decided22/017/LB
Install a shower room
8 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 24 Jan 2022 - Decided22/018/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump and integral garage (one for one), including retention of existing redundant building
Neidgarth (Land Near), Georth Road, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 24 Jan 2022 - Decided22/019/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Kerlin (Plot 3) (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 24 Jan 2022 - Decided22/020/PP
Install fibre optic cables
Papa Westray (South West), Orkney
Received 24 Jan 2022 - Decided22/021/PP
Install a water tank, boreholes and associated pipework (amendment to 21/300/PP)
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 24 Jan 2022
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