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
138Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,078 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 16 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/026/PP
Create a sand school (retrospective)
Hyval, Howaback Road, Sandwick, Orkney, KW17 2JA
Received 26 Jan 2024 - Decided24/027/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
7 Burrian, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1XB
Received 26 Jan 2024 - Decided24/028/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump
North Church (Land Near), Shapinsay, Orkney, KW17 2EA
Received 29 Jan 2024 - Decided24/029/HH
Erect a domestic shed
Nearhouse Orphir Orkney KW17 2RB
Received 29 Jan 2024 - Decided24/030/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as two self-catering units
Langskaill & Peerieskaill Apartments, Skaill House, Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR
Received 23 Jan 2024 - Decided24/031/PP
Demolish a redundant house, erect six glamping pods and an ancillary shed with an air source heat pump, create an access, and associated landscaping including an access track and infrastructure
Kemby (Land Near) Balaclava Road, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney KW17 2DN
Received 29 Jan 2024 - Decided24/032/HH
Extend an annex
Stenaday, Heddle Road, Finstown, Firth, Orkney KW17 2JX
Received 30 Jan 2024 - Decided24/034/AD
Display a fascia sign and a projecting sign
Nationwide Building Society, 24 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 31 Jan 2024 - Decided24/035/LB
Display a fascia sign and projecting sign
Nationwide Building Society, 24 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 31 Jan 2024 - Decided24/036/TC
Fell a tree
Albert Street Car Park, Kirkwall
Received 30 Jan 2024 - Decided24/037/TC
Fell a tree
St Magnus Cathedral Broad Street Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1DH
Received 1 Feb 2024 - Decided24/039/PP
Install new and replacement lighting, fence above retaining wall, and gate, fell a tree, and landscaping works
The Robert Rendall Building, Orkney Research And Innovation Campus, Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AN
Received 2 Feb 2024 - Decided24/041/PP
Erect a house (one for one) with an air source heat pump, a detached garage and alter an access (resubmission of 23/180/PP)
East Breckan (Land Near), Holm, Orkney, KW17 2SB
Received 5 Feb 2024 - Unknown24/042/APN
Erect three agricultural polycarbonate polytunnels
Stenaquoy, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 5 Feb 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/043/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as a house
118 Victoria Street (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BU
Received 5 Feb 2024 - Decided24/044/CLEUD
Regularise the use of a premises as two self-catering units
2 & 3 Kringla, Dounby, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2HN
Received 6 Feb 2024 - Decided24/045/PP
Install replacement windows and doors, external insulation, three air source heat pumps and a freestanding solar array
Surgery, New Manse, Main Road North Ronaldsay Orkney KW17 2BE
Received 9 Feb 2024 - Decided24/046/PP
Install replacement windows and doors, three air source heat pumps, external insulation and a PV array
Trenabie House, 2 Gill Pier, Westray, Orkney, KW17 2DL
Received 12 Feb 2024 - Decided24/047/PP
Change of use of land from car park to hotel garden including outdoor seating and catering van, and erect a boundary wall and bin enclosure
The Ferry Inn, 10 John Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AD
Received 12 Feb 2024 - Decided24/048/PP
Change of use from two flats to two self-catering units
Flat 1 And Flat 3, 29A Victoria Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1DN
Received 12 Feb 2024 - Decided24/049/HH
Erect a domestic outbuilding with an air source heat pump
Breck, Tower Road, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RE
Received 12 Feb 2024 - Decided24/050/LB
Remove signage and ATM and install replacement window and masonry panel (retrospective)
99 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BU
Received 13 Feb 2024 - Decided24/051/AD
Display a projecting sign and two fascia signs
23 - 25 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HP
Received 14 Feb 2024 - Decided24/052/PN
Divert two spans of overhead line
Work Farm (Land Near) St Ola, Orkney
Received 14 Feb 2024
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
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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