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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Withdrawn/Returned23/302/LB
Install an air source heat pump.
Flat 1, 8 Victoria Street, Stromness Orkney KW16 3AA
Received 17 Aug 2023 - Decided23/303/HH
External alterations and install an air source heat pump
Noneyha', Noneyha Road, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 18 Aug 2023 - Decided23/304/PP
Erect five self-catering pods with associated landscaping and parking
6 Seafield (Land Near), Finstown, Firth, Orkney, KW17 2EW
Received 21 Aug 2023 - Decided23/305/PP
Erect two dome based greenhouses and associated access track and drainage (retrospective) (resubmission of 23/100/PP)
Millcroft (Land Near), Mill Bay Road, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AB
Received 21 Aug 2023 - Decided23/306/PN
Install a replacement dish
Sanday Radio Station, Sanday, Orkney
Received 22 Aug 2023 - Unknown23/307/APN
Erect an agricultural polycrub
(Pilkington-Tait) Newcott, Ireland Road, Stenness, Orkney, KW16 3EZ
Received 23 Aug 2023 - Decided23/308/HH
Erect a garage
Vallaquie, 11A Royal Oak Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RF
Received 23 Aug 2023 - Decided23/309/TC
Crown reduction of a sycamore
Ivybank 14 Dundas Crescent Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1JQ
Received 23 Aug 2023 - Decided23/310/HH
Extend a house
Breckhouse, Bloomfield Road, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SU
Received 24 Aug 2023 - Decided23/311/PP
Erect an agricultural shed (retrospective)
Rossmyre (Land Near), Old Finstown Road, Firth, Orkney, KW15 1TS
Received 24 Aug 2023 - Decided23/312/PP
Erect a replacement house with an air source heat pump (one for one) (amendment to 21/154/AMC)
Minora, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JS
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/313/PP
Convert a meeting room to two self-catering units, install replacement windows and doors and two air source heat pumps with housing
10 Bridge Street Wynd, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JD
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/314/LB
Install replacement rainwater goods and external secondary glazing, line internal walls and install a concrete floor, electric heating, a partition and kitchen and toilet facilities
New Kirk, North Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/315/PP
Install replacement rainwater goods, external secondary glazing, an access ramp, a waste water treatment plant and extend access and parking
New Kirk, North Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/316/PP
Convert three flats to a house
3 Castle Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DF
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/318/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as a self-catering unit
The Flat, 76 Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AR
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/319/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as a self-catering unit
10 Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BY
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/320/PP
Temporary change of use of (part of) Community School (Class 10/11) to a shop (Class 1A) (3 years)
Westray Junior High School, Noup Road, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DH
Received 28 Aug 2023 - Decided23/321/PIP
Siting of 3 houses and create accesses
Braemar (Land Near), Downies Lane, Stromness, Orkney
Received 30 Aug 2023 - Decided23/322/PP
Change of use of flat to self-catering unit (retrospective)
Flat 3, 86 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DQ
Received 31 Aug 2023 - Decided23/323/PP
Change of use of a domestic outbuilding with an air source heat pump to a barber (Class 1A)
3 Ronaldsvoe, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1XE
Received 31 Aug 2023 - Decided23/324/PP
Change of use from domestic to a self-catering unit
Outer Magnolia, Weyland Terrace, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1LS
Received 31 Aug 2023 - Decided23/327/MARCON
Removal of the OpenHydro Research Platform
Berth 4, Wall Of Warness Stromness
Received 31 Aug 2023 - Decided23/328/PP
Convert (part of) shop to two flats, install 4 air source heat pumps, form window openings, install replacement doors, relocate rooflights, paint windows and install steps and handrail (part amendment to 22/119/PP)
8 Laing Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1NW
Received 1 Sept 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.
UK researchPublished Updated
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.
UK researchPublished Updated
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