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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Awaiting decision22/206/PP
Erect a vehicle repair garage and associated parking and alter an access (retrospective) (resubmission of 21/360/PP)
Dunedin, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JD
Received 7 Jun 2022 - Decided22/207/HH
Extend a house and alter an access
Swanson Cottage, Swanson Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 6 Jun 2022 - Decided22/208/HH
Extend a house
Muce Cottage, Marwick Road, Birsay Orkney KW17 2NB
Received 8 Jun 2022 - Decided22/209/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Sydney Cottage, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QQ
Received 8 Jun 2022 - Unknown22/210/APN
Erect a GP shed
Lyde, Lyde Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2PA
Received 10 Jun 2022 - Decided22/211/PIP
Siting of a house
Allegar (Land Near), Orphir, Orkney
Received 10 Jun 2022 - Decided22/212/PP
Erect an overhead pipebridge on columns and install underground cabling
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 10 Jun 2022 - Decided22/213/LB
Erect an overhead pipebridge on columns
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 10 Jun 2022 - Decided22/214/PP
Erect a place of worship (Christian retreat) (part retrospective)
Feastown Filling Station, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 13 Jun 2022 - Decided22/215/PP
Erect a replacement house with an integral garage and air source heat pump (one for one), construct a layby and alter an access
The Gables (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, Orkney
Received 13 Jun 2022 - Decided22/216/PP
Construct a footpath, remove section of existing footpath, relocate lighting column and install bollards
Watersfield Crescent (Land Near), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 14 Jun 2022 - Unknown20/067/NMV/02
Revision to proposed flood relief openings in School/nursery boundary wall: Reduction in size and number as determined by rainfall analysis and to maximise retention of existing drystone boundary wall and to minimise potential safety and security concerns
Glaitness Primary School, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall
Received 9 Jun 2022 - Decided22/218/MARSCR
Screening Opinion on the proposed Section 36 Consent variation applicaiton in respect of the EMEC, Fall of Warness Test
Fall Of Warness, Orkney
Received 9 Jun 2022 - Decided22/219/MARSCO
Request for scoping opinion for proposed Section 36 Applicaiton. for the Fall of Warness Tidal Test Site (EMEC)
Fall Of Warness, Orkney
Received 14 Jun 2022 - Decided22/220/TPP
Erect a 20 kW wind turbine (max height 22m) and cable
Braebuster House (Land Near), Braebuster Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 15 Jun 2022 - Decided22/221/PIP
Conversion of a former shop, bakery, store and adjoined courtyards to a mixed use restaurant/cafe, bowling alley, music venues, nightclub, gymnasium, exhibition space, visitor centre and retail (Use Classes 1, 3, 10 and 11)
18 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 16 Jun 2022 - Decided22/222/PP
Erect a replacement house with integral garage (one for one) incorporating existing outbuilding
Little Quoy, Littlequoy Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 16 Jun 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/223/PP
Erect a house, shed and create an access
Redlums (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 16 Jun 2022 - Decided22/224/LB
Erect a porch with timber clad walls
63 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 16 Jun 2022 - Decided22/225/PN
Install 3 antennas, 2 dishes, a cabinet and associated infrastructure
Gallowhill, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DB
Received 16 Jun 2022 - Decided22/226/HH
Extend a house and install replacement windows and door (part retrospective) (resubmission of 21/326/HH)
63 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 17 Jun 2022 - Decided22/229/HH
Extend a house
Burnside, Lyde Road, Rendall, Orkney, KW17 2PA
Received 21 Jun 2022 - Decided22/230/HH
Install a rooflight and five replacement rooflights and erect a fence
20 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 22 Jun 2022 - Decided22/231/LB
Install a rooflight and five replacement rooflights
20 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 22 Jun 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
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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.
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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