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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided22/339/PP
Erect a house, shed and create an access (resubmission of 22/223/PP)
Redlums (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 13 Sept 2022 - Decided22/340/PP
Extend a substation, erect a building, create an access and hardstanding and associated infrastructure
Sandybank (Land Near), Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AE
Received 13 Sept 2022 - Decided22/341/PP
Extend rooftop stub tower, install replacement antennae, ancillary radio equipment and GPS node and ancillary equipment
Kirkwall Telephone Exchange, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney,
Received 14 Sept 2022 - Decided22/342/LB
Paint fascia and cornice and install lettering (retrospective)
31 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HL
Received 14 Sept 2022 - Decided22/343/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic, erect a shed, polycrub and fence
3 Decca Station Houses, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JE
Received 20 Sept 2022 - Decided22/344/MARCON
Marine licence has been requested under the above Act to undertake deposit of a new marine farm at a location below the level of Mean High Water Springs
East Moclett, North Sound, Orkney
Received 15 Sept 2022 - Decided22/346/PP
Reinstate a house, extend and install an air source heat pump and solar panels (part retrospective)
Mounthoolie, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 21 Sept 2022 - Decided22/347/PP
Install a water main with associated connections
Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney
Received 21 Sept 2022 - Decided22/348/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 (resubmission of 22/252/PP)
Forcewell, Yesnaby, Sandwick, Orkney
Received 23 Sept 2022 - Decided22/349/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (part amendment of 18/288/PP)
Plot 2 Dalvenna (Land Near), Scapa Brae, St Ola, KW15 1SF
Received 23 Sept 2022 - Unknown20/401/NMV/01
The underbuild is greater at some areas of the extension than indicated on the original drawings
Netherfiold, Aikerness Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DN
Received 21 Sept 2022 - Decided22/351/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and upgrade an access
Ore Vik, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NT
Received 26 Sept 2022 - Withdrawn/Returned22/352/TPP
Erect a 6kW wind turbine (max height 11.8m) and cable
Langie, Sower Road, Orphir, Orkney
Received 26 Sept 2022 - Decided22/353/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump (part retrospective)
Fairview, Rosemount Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JA
Received 23 Sept 2022 - Decided22/355/PP
Convert a house to a guest house (Class 7), re-roof, install replacement windows and doors, and create embankment
Grainbank, Hatston Brae, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RD
Received 29 Sept 2022 - Decided22/356/LB
Re-roof, open up windows, install replacement windows and doors, remove external stores and grade embankment, install rooflights, a flue, fascia bands and replacement rainwater goods, tank basement rooms, block up doorways and other internal alterations, alter entrance gatepost and demolish attached shed (part retrospective)
Grainbank, Hatston Brae, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RD
Received 29 Sept 2022 - Decided22/357/PP
Reinstate a house, install an air source heat pump and upgrade an access
Floura, Holland Road, Stronsay, Orkney, KW17 2AJ
Received 29 Sept 2022 - Awaiting decision21/346/NMV/01
Proposed change to rear elevation of Block 2. Requirement to change from timber cadding to blockwork/render due to proximity to neighbouring boundary.
Oakdene, Cairston Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 30 Sept 2022 - Unknown22/358/MARPN
Replacement of feed barge
Puldrite, Wide Firth, Orkney
Received 30 Sept 2022 - Decided22/359/PP
Erect an agricultural building
Veltigar Farm, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QU
Received 3 Oct 2022 - Decided22/360/HH
Erect a garage
3 Yorston Drive, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3ER
Received 3 Oct 2022 - Decided22/361/HH
Erect a domestic garage/workshop
Marona, Wardhill Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HS
Received 30 Sept 2022 - Decided22/362/PP
Change of use of land from former school to domestic, extend a house and install an air source heat pump (part retrospective)
Firthside Cottage, Grandon Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2ER
Received 30 Sept 2022 - Decided22/364/PIP
Siting of a house
Breck Of Aikerness, Westray, Orkney
Received 4 Oct 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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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