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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Unknown23/250/APN
Erect a GP shed
South Cott, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 5 Jul 2023 - Decided23/251/PP
Erect an agricultural building and create a hardstanding
Mounthoolie, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 5 Jul 2023 - Decided23/253/HH
Extend a house and install an air source heat pump
Westbank Cottage, Old Finstown Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1TR
Received 7 Jul 2023 - Decided23/254/HH
Extend a house and alter dormer windows
Red House, Grassick Court, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1UR
Received 11 Jul 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/255/PP
Temporary siting of a container for use as a shop (retrospective)
1 Johnston's Road (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PZ
Received 11 Jul 2023 - Awaiting decision23/256/NATEIA
Construct a 300 metre pier extension, reclaim land to create a 7.5 hectare laydown area including rock armour, construct a ship lift, linkspan, fuel supply infrastructure, water storage tanks, roads and vehicle parking and associated infrastructure
Hatston Ferry Terminal, Hatston Quay, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1RQ
Received 12 Jul 2023 - Unknown23/257/APN
Erect a GP shed
Glebe (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TT
Received 12 Jul 2023 - Decided23/258/MARCON
Marine License consultation
East Of Skelwick Skerry North Sound Westray
Received 13 Jul 2023 - Decided23/259/MARCON
Variation to Marine License
Fall Of Warness Test Site, Orkney
Received 13 Jul 2023 - Decided23/260/MARCON
Variation to Marine License
Fall Of Warness Stromness
Received 13 Jul 2023 - Unknown23/082/NMV/01
Height of 3 bedroom windows altered from 1.5m to 1.8m to houses on Plots 3 and 4 Dalvenna.
Plots 3 & 4 Dalvenna St Ola Orkney Islands KW15 1SF
Received 13 Jul 2023 - Decided23/261/PP
Install two air source heat pumps (retrospective)
St. Ann's Kirk, Central Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 17 Jul 2023 - Decided23/262/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and a detached garage
Esgar (Land Near) Plot B, Dounby, Orkney
Received 17 Jul 2023 - Decided23/263/PP
Siting of temporary storage container (5 years), screen fencing and planters
Smithy Restaurant, 11 Balfour, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DX
Received 17 Jul 2023 - Unknown22/097/NMV/01
Removal of air source heat pumps
Walliwall (Land Near) (K5), Phase 1a, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 17 Jul 2023 - Decided23/265/PN
Removal and replacement of existing 18m High Lattice Tower, 4No. Antennas and 1No. Equipment Cabin to be replaced by a 22.5m High Lattice Tower and Headframe together with 3No. Antennas, 1No. GPS Module, 2No. Cabinets, 2No Meter Cabinets and associated ancillary works on extended concrete base. Existing 3No. Antennas to be relocated to new tower
Burgar Hill, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 17 Jul 2023 - Unknown23/266/APN
Erect a GP shed
Hneta Hus (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 18 Jul 2023 - Unknown23/267/APN
Erect a storage container for agricultural use
Hneta Hus (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 18 Jul 2023 - Decided23/268/VR
Vary condition 02 (duration of temporary permission) of planning permission 18/276/PP, to October 2028
Stromness Community Garden, Brownstown Road, Stromness, Orkney
Received 19 Jul 2023 - Decided23/269/PP
Change of use of annexe from self-catering to domestic
Waaness, Littlequoy Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SX
Received 20 Jul 2023 - Decided23/270/MARCON
Marine License Variation
Marine Farm, Wyre Gairsay Sound
Received 21 Jul 2023 - Decided23/271/PP
Install water storage tanks, pump, switchgear, and pipes including pipe bridges
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 24 Jul 2023 - Decided23/274/LB
Install water storage tanks, pump, switchgear building and pipes, including pipe bridges.
Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SU
Received 24 Jul 2023 - Decided23/275/PP
Change of use of flat to self-catering unit (retrospective)
13 Garden Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JA
Received 25 Jul 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
Understanding planning · 13 min read
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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Property research · 13 min read
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