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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided22/393/PIP
Siting of a shed (salt barn)
Cursiter Quarry, Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TT
Received 1 Nov 2022 - Decided22/394/LB
Install a lift
13A Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 1 Nov 2022 - Decided22/395/MARCON
Variation to the existing section 36 consent for the European Marine Energy Centre Fall of Warness Tidal Test Site. The Variation request is to extend the s.36 consent for the operational life of the tidal test site from 7 to 10 years.
Warness Tidal Test Site
Received 31 Oct 2022 - Unknown22/396/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Rennibister, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TX
Received 2 Nov 2022 - Decided22/398/PP
Convert a domestic garage to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
Landego, Grainepark, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UL
Received 3 Nov 2022 - Decided22/399/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Shalderha, Moss Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SA
Received 3 Nov 2022 - Decided22/400/LB
Display two signs
11 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 3 Nov 2022 - Decided22/401/AD
Display two signs
11 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 3 Nov 2022 - Decided22/402/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic, extend a house incorporating existing outbuilding, erect a workshop and upgrade two accesses
Bishops, Horries Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QL
Received 4 Nov 2022 - Decided22/403/PP
Install water supply infrastructure
Rackwick Hostel, Shop Road, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NJ
Received 4 Nov 2022 - Decided22/404/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and extend a house
Puckletie, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 4 Nov 2022 - Decided22/408/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Wideford Farm, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/409/PN
Install 1 x 7m and 1 x 9m telecommunications poles
Cobrance (Land Near), Yinstay Road, Woodside Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/410/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Cott Of Holland (Land Near), Woodside Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/411/PN
Install a 9m telecommunications pole
Woodside (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/412/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Hall Of Yenstay, Yinstay Road, Tankerness, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/413/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Puckletie (Land Near), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/414/PN
Install a 9m telecommunications pole
Glenlee, Dyke End Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SF
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/415/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Work (Land Near), Work Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UF
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/416/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Blackhall (Land Near), Work Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UF
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/417/PN
Install six 8m telecommunication poles
Craigiefield Road (Various Locations), St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1UJ
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/418/PN
Install a 7m telecommunication pole
Benmar (Land Near), Heathery Loan, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SY
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/419/PN
Install a 7m telecomunications pole
Whizzendine (Land Near), Heathery Loan, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SY
Received 7 Nov 2022 - Decided22/420/PN
Install an 8m telecommunications pole
Thule (Land Near), Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 7 Nov 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