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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided22/232/PP
Change of use from car showroom and offices (part of) to music teaching rooms (Class 10), install an air source heat pump, staircase and doors and paint walls (part retrospective) (resubmission of 21/428/PP)
Showroom & Offices, Garrison Road, Hatston, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 22 Jun 2022 - Decided22/234/PP
Erect a store/workshop (including demolition of existing building), erect a wall and alter an access
Power Station, Great Western Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AN
Received 23 Jun 2022 - Decided22/235/PP
Change of use from retail (Class 1) to mixed use hairdresser/salon and gymnasium (Classes 1 and 11 )
Orkney Aggregates Ltd Showroom, Grainshore Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1FL
Received 27 Jun 2022 - Decided22/236/PP
Erect two houses with air source heat pumps and create an access
Braeside (Land Near), West Greaves, Holm, Orkney
Received 28 Jun 2022 - Decided22/237/PP
Extend a workshop (Class 5) (resubmission of 22/161/PP)
The Smiddy, Newgarth, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JD
Received 28 Jun 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/238/PP
Erect a pod and create an access
East Langamay (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 29 Jun 2022 - Decided22/240/PP
Create a temporary hardstanding and construction compound, including access, bund, welfare facilities and storage containers (5 years)
Cairston Road (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JT
Received 30 Jun 2022 - Decided22/241/PP
Erect two sheds
Block Factory, Quholme, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LL
Received 1 Jul 2022 - Decided22/242/PP
Change of use of water treatment works processing area to public amenity area, including parking, landscaping and installation of seating
Cross Cemetery (Land Near), Howe Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BJ
Received 1 Jul 2022 - Decided22/243/PP
Erect a residential accommodation with an air source heat pump (subdivision of curtilage)
Sprucol View, Inganess Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SR
Received 1 Jul 2022 - Unknown22/244/APN
Erect a GP shed
Breckan, Breckan Road, Graemsay, Orkney, KW16 3NG
Received 4 Jul 2022 - Decided22/246/LB
Extend a building, install an air source heat pump, re-point and render walls, install replacement door, windows and rooflights, and erect a boundary wall (part-retrospective)
25 Queen Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JE
Received 4 Jul 2022 - Decided22/247/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic (resubmission of 21/441/PP)
Viewfield, Midhouse Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LD
Received 4 Jul 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/248/PP
Erect a workshop
Cooke Aquaculture, Factory H43, Crowness Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1RG
Received 5 Jul 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/249/PP
Erect a workshop (Class 5) and extend slipway
Burray Boatyard, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 5 Jul 2022 - Decided22/250/MARCON
Marine licence has been requested under the above Act to undertake works at a location below the level of Mean High Water Springs
Westerbister, Scapa Flow
Received 1 Jul 2022 - Decided22/251/PP
Erect a storage shed (Class 6) (resubmission of 21/433/PP)
Oaklea, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 7 Jul 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/252/PP
Convert a redundant building to a house, extend incorporating other buildings, demolish two redundant buildings and erect three self-catering units (two semi-detached), install three air source heat pumps and upgrade an access
Forcewell, Yesnaby, Orkney
Received 8 Jul 2022 - Decided22/254/LB
Install an air source heat pump and a window barrier, paint windows and doors, install internal secondary glazing, line walls and other internal alterations
23 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 11 Jul 2022 - Decided22/255/PP
Convert an office (part of) (Class 2) to a house, install an air source heat pump and a window barrier and paint windows and doors (resubmission of 22/155/PP)
23 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 11 Jul 2022 - Unknown21/223/NMV/01
Change zinc roofs to profile steel sheet
Wasdale, Courquoy Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PR
Received 8 Jul 2022 - Unknown22/029/NMV/01
Not fitting gable window to existing shed and using existing window openings. Adding window to existing shower room.
Millhouse, Windwick Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RN
Received 12 Jul 2022 - Decided22/256/PP
Convert an outbuilding to a house, extend and install an air source heat pump (subdivision of curtilage)
Savedale, Ireland Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3LB
Received 12 Jul 2022 - Decided22/257/PP
Convert a garage to a house and install an air source heat pump (subdivision of curtilage)
Netherlee, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 14 Jul 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
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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