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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided23/123/PP
Install an air source heat pump and a solar array
Islands View Surgery, Church Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU
Received 24 Mar 2023 - Decided23/124/PP
Install an air source heat pump and a solar array
Vaenta, Scapa Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RL
Received 24 Mar 2023 - Decided23/125/PP
Install air source heat pumps and solar panels
Garson Dental Practice, Garson Park, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BL
Received 27 Mar 2023 - Decided23/126/HH
Extend a house (part retrospective)
South Waird, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 27 Mar 2023 - Decided23/127/HH
Extend a house, re-roof and install solar panels
Carradale, Weyland Bay, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1TD
Received 27 Mar 2023 - Decided23/128/CLEUD
Regularise the erection of 3 self-catering pods, a conservatory and the use of land as a campsite
Ayre Rock Hostel, Coo Road, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AY
Received 27 Mar 2023 - Decided23/129/PP
Install an air source heat pump
Sanday Mens Shed, Sanday, Orkney
Received 28 Mar 2023 - Decided23/130/LB
Install air source heat pumps, replacement doors, a flue, new window opening, infill opening, construct steps, internal alterations including secondary glazing, wall linings and partitions
8 Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NW
Received 29 Mar 2023 - Decided23/131/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump
Plot 6 Repeater Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1ZP
Received 29 Mar 2023 - Decided23/133/HH
Extend a house
Ballyshannon, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SD
Received 3 Apr 2023 - Decided23/134/VR
Vary condition 03 (occupancy restriction related to business) of planning permission 20/351/PP
Widewall Garage, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TG
Received 3 Apr 2023 - Decided23/136/TC
Fell a tree and prune a tree
Westlea, 1 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LD
Received 22 Mar 2023 - Decided23/137/PP
Install a solar array
Eday Surgery, Guith Road, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 6 Apr 2023 - Decided23/138/PP
Install a food storage and distribution structure (community fridge) (retrospective)
The Westray Development Trust, The Quarry Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DF
Received 7 Apr 2023 - Decided23/139/MARCON
Extend their current marine licence to construct, alter or improve the M100P wave energy converter and moorings at a location below the level of Mean High Water Springs until 30 September 2023.
Deerness, Orkney
Received 30 Mar 2023 - Decided23/141/HH
Extend a house, install an air source heat pump and erect a garage
Coubister House, Burness Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2ET
Received 7 Apr 2023 - Decided23/142/PP
Change of use from dental practice to a boarding house (Class 7), install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods and install rooflights and air source heat pumps
10 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JF
Received 10 Apr 2023 - Decided23/143/LB
Install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods, install rooflights and air source heat pumps and strip and replace interior
10 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JF
Received 10 Apr 2023 - Decided23/144/PP
Extend earth bunds, create car parking and culvert a drain
Orkney Clay Pigeon Shooting Range, Orphir, Orkney, KW17 2RB
Received 10 Apr 2023 - Decided23/145/HH
Extend a house
Upper Springrose, Heddle Road, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2JX
Received 10 Apr 2023 - Decided23/146/CLEUD
Regularise an extension to a house
31 Buttquoy Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JH
Received 7 Apr 2023 - Decided23/135/PP
Erect a cafe, create a car park, and alter an access (retrospective)
Ardage, Burray Village, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS
Received 7 Apr 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/147/PP
Temporary siting of a caravan, construct a reed bed and create an access
Barrenha (Land Near), Barrenha Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BE
Received 12 Apr 2023 - Decided23/148/AD
Display a fascia, projecting and other signage
The Royal Bank Of Scotland, 1 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DP
Received 12 Apr 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