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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided23/175/LB
Install an air source heat pump with timber housing (retrospective)
25 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 4 May 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/176/PP
Erect a house with three air source heat pumps and an integral garage, associated landscaping and upgrade an access (resubmission of 22/318/PP)
Ferneybrae, Mill Bay Road, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 4 May 2023 - Decided23/178/TC
Prune six trees
Clairness, 3 Dundas Crescent, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JQ
Received 4 May 2023 - Decided23/179/PP
Change of use from a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
Flat 4, 40 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA
Received 5 May 2023 - Unknown19/397/NMV/01
Change of Cladding Material from Timber to Fibre Cement (Spec. to match approved Dormer Window Cladding)
Red House Grassick Court Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1UR
Received 11 May 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/180/PP
Erect a house (one for one) with an air source heat pump, a detached garage and alter an access
East Breckan (Land Near), Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SB
Received 12 May 2023 - Decided23/181/APN
Erect a GP shed
Midhouse Cottage, West Bu Road, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RY
Received 12 May 2023 - Unknown23/182/MARPN
Replace 10 x 80metre circumference cages with 7 x 100 metre circumference cages
Puldrite, Wide Firth, Orkney
Received 9 May 2023 - Unknown23/183/MARPN
Replace 12 x 100metre circumference cages with 9 x 120 metre cages, install pole-supported top nets and reposition a feed barge
Wyre, Gairsay Sound, Orkney
Received 9 May 2023 - Decided23/184/HH
Extend a house
Thorval, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SZ
Received 11 May 2023 - Decided23/185/HH
Erect a domestic garage
Airafea Fea Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 15 May 2023 - Decided23/186/HH
Erect a domestic outbuilding (retrospective) (resubmission of 23/103/HH)
3 Pumpwell Park, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AT
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/187/PP
Change of use from agriculture to domestic, extend a house
Quaquoy, Brockan Road, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2ND
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/188/HH
Extend a house (incorporating existing attached shed) and install an air source heat pump
Nether Scapa, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SD
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/189/PP
Erect two houses, construct a shared access track, install communal drainage infrastructure, and create an access
Blue Star Garage (Land Near), North End Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AG
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/190/PP
Reinstate a house, extend and install an air source heat pump, erect an outbuilding, temporary siting of a caravan and install solar array (part retrospective) (resubmission of 22/292/PP)
Boloquoy (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/191/LB
Re-roof with reclaimed Welsh slate and Orkney slate, re-point with lime mortar, install replacement timber windows and doors, metal rainwater goods, interior alterations and extend
Boloquoy (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 16 May 2023 - Decided23/192/HH
Extend a house, erect a shed and alter an access (retrospective)
Crotrive, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BL
Received 16 May 2023 - Unknown21/376/NMV/01
Reduce ridge height of extension, change door to patio door and alter size of kitchen window
Eau Rouge, Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QR
Received 17 May 2023 - Decided23/193/HH
Install two dormer windows
Whitehouse, Aikers Road, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TJ
Received 17 May 2023 - Decided23/194/PP
Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic and extend a house (amendment to 22/404/PP)
Puckletie, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SS
Received 17 May 2023 - Decided23/195/PP
Construct a slurry lagoon with safety fence
Linday, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JE
Received 18 May 2023 - Decided23/196/LB
Install a replacement door and repair masonry
3 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 22 May 2023 - Decided23/197/PP
Install a replacement door and repair masonry
3 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH
Received 22 May 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 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