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9,643 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided23/329/MARCON
Screening - Extension to Sea Wall and Land Reclamation
Atlantis Lodges Firth Orkney KW17 2EH
Received 1 Sept 2023 - Decided23/331/HH
Extend a house
Alvegg, 2 Scapa Court, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BJ
Received 4 Sept 2023 - Unknown22/490/NMV/01
Remove gable windows and install sun tunnel on roofs
Plots 50A & 50B, Breckan Brae, St Marys, Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RR
Received 6 Sept 2023 - Decided23/332/HH
Install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods, install an air source heat pump and paint cladding
Rulinvoe, 2 Balfour, Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2DX
Received 6 Sept 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/334/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump and create an access
Midtown (land Near), Hoxa, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 7 Sept 2023 - Decided23/335/PP
Change of use of a flat to a self-catering unit (retrospective)
1A Laing Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NW
Received 12 Sept 2023 - Unknown22/325/NMV/01
Remove gable windows and install sun tunnel on roof
(Plot 1) Breckan Brae (Land Near), Holm, Orkney, KW17 2RU
Received 5 Sept 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/337/PP
Convert a redundant barn to a house, extend, install an air source heat pump, erect a shed and create an access (part retrospective)
Miry Park (Land Near), Sanday, Orkney
Received 13 Sept 2023 - Decided23/338/PP
Erect a house with integral garage, an air source heat pump, create an access and install a temporary static caravan
Lonnie (Land Near), Sanday Orkney KW17 2BA
Received 14 Sept 2023 - Decided23/339/PP
Re-roof and alter forecourt arrangement
Orkney Cabs, 39 Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1AG
Received 14 Sept 2023 - Decided23/340/PP
Erect an airfield terminal building, create an access, and construct car parking, bike shelter and associated infrastructure
Papa Westray Airfield And Building, Central Road, Papa Westray, Orkney, KW17 2BU
Received 14 Sept 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/341/PP
Erect a house and convert an existing redundant building to an outbuilding (part retrospective)
The Mill, Wyre Pier, Russness Road, Wyre, Orkney, KW17 2QA
Received 14 Sept 2023 - Decided23/342/PP
Erect an airfield terminal building, create an access, and construct car parking, bike shelter and associated infrastructure
Stronsay Airfield, Stronsay, Orkney
Received 14 Sept 2023 - Unknown21/096/NMV/02
Proposed stone-filled gabion retaining adjacent to track. Max. 1m high.
Lower Durrisdale (Land Near), Jubidee Road, Evie
Received 15 Sept 2023 - Decided23/343/PP
Change of use from a self-catering unit to a flat
Old Evie Church (Wyre Apartment), Evie Village, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PH
Received 18 Sept 2023 - Decided23/344/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one) and create an access
Blinkbonny (Land Near), Herston, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2RH
Received 15 Sept 2023 - Decided23/346/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as a self-catering unit
20 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 18 Sept 2023 - Decided23/347/PP
Erect a toilet block (temporary for 5 years)
HMS Tern, Birsay, Orkney
Received 19 Sept 2023 - Decided23/348/PP
Subdivide a house (convert domestic annexe to a house) (retrospective)
5 Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BU
Received 22 Sept 2023 - Decided23/349/PP
Install three air source heat pumps and erect a fence
St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PA
Received 22 Sept 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/350/PP
Convert redundant building to two houses, including re-roofing
The Pier House (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 22 Sept 2023 - Withdrawn/Returned23/351/LB
Re-roof with Orkney and Welsh slate, replace section of wall with concrete block, install rooflights, rainwater goods and replacement windows and doors, form new window opening, harl external walls and interior alterations
The Pier House (Land Near), Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orkney, KW17 2QS
Received 22 Sept 2023 - Decided23/352/PP
Change of use of flat to a self-catering unit
12A Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 22 Sept 2023 - Decided23/353/VR
Vary planning condition 01 (duration of operation) of planning permission 20/112/TPP, to include duration of consent
Hammars Hill, Evie, Orkney KW17 2PQ
Received 22 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
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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