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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Unknown21/404/NMV/01
Edit to window schedule and elevations drawing to confirm replacement windows will be of the same style as originals
7 South End, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DJ
Received 25 Jan 2023 - Decided23/027/PP
Change of use from a house to a guest house (Class 7)
Aultnagar, Sunnybank Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TP
Received 26 Jan 2023 - Decided23/028/HH
Extend a house
15 Hillside Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AH
Received 30 Jan 2023 - Decided23/029/PP
Extend a storage building, install a storage container, create a hardstanding and create an access (part retrospective)
E Fraser Electrical, The Store, Grandon Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EL
Received 31 Jan 2023 - Decided23/030/HH
Install an air source heat pump with timber housing (part retrospective)
Flat 3, 40 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA
Received 31 Jan 2023 - Decided23/031/HH
Extend a house
Egremont, Mount Drive, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LL
Received 31 Jan 2023 - Decided23/032/LB
Re-roof and install replacement rainwater goods and remove a rooflight
St Tredwell's House, School Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 2 Feb 2023 - Decided23/033/HH
Extend a house
Cairnton, Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 3 Feb 2023 - Decided23/034/PP
Create an access
Benziecott Mill, Measer Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BL
Received 3 Feb 2023 - Decided23/035/PP
Sub-divide house to create a self-catering unit (retrospective)
Enegar, Outertown Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3JP
Received 6 Feb 2023 - Awaiting decision23/036/VR
Vary condition 05 (operational lifespan of development) of planning permission 07/422/PP, to November 2034
Burgar Hill (Land Near), Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 6 Feb 2023 - Decided23/037/LB
Relocate an air source heat pump with housing
8 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 6 Feb 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/038/TPP
Erect two wind turbines (maximum height 70 metres, maximum capacity 1.8 MW total) and a switchgear building, construct access tracks, and associated infrastructure
Work Farm (Land Near), Work Road, St Ola,
Received 7 Feb 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/039/PP
Erect a replacement house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump (two for one)
Vellin (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LS
Received 7 Feb 2023 - Decided23/040/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and extend a house
Heathfield House, Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TR
Received 8 Feb 2023 - Decided23/041/PP
Siting of a mobile catering unit
Skaill House, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR
Received 8 Feb 2023 - Decided23/042/HH
Install an air source heat pump with timber screening (retrospective)
25 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 8 Feb 2023 - Decided23/043/PP
Extend a hall, install four air source heat pumps and other external alterations
The Salvation Army, Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AX
Received 8 Feb 2023 - Decided89/095/PP
Re-alignment of a road
Denman House Broch Of Gurness Road Evie Orkney Islands KW17 2PE
Received 15 Mar 1989 - Unknown23/044/APN
Erect a GP shed
Braemar, Manse Road, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QH
Received 8 Feb 2023 - Decided23/045/SCR
Screening opinion to erect an 850kW wind turbine (max height 76m) (repowering of existing site)
Hammer (Land Near), Skelwick, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DE
Received 10 Feb 2023 - Decided23/047/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Howe (Land Near) (Boonland/Tankfield), North Loch Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BP
Received 13 Feb 2023 - Unknown23/048/APN
Erect an agricultural greenhouse
Bewan, Lighthouse Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BG
Received 13 Feb 2023 - Decided23/049/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
2B Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 13 Feb 2023
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 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.
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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