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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided24/053/PIP
Siting of a house
11 Bungalow (Land Near), Artillery Road, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NR
Received 15 Feb 2024 - Decided24/055/PP
Temporary extension to travel centre to include bus stances, associated infrastructure and hoarding (five years)
The Travel Centre, West Castle Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1GU
Received 15 Feb 2024 - Unknown23/214/NMV/01
Changes to window arrangement, additional windows and change to window and door colours.
The Willows (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NY
Received 16 Feb 2024 - Decided24/056/PP
Construct a path and raised terrace, with stone bench and plinth
Viewpoint, Blossom Landfill (Land Near), Rousay, Orkney
Received 16 Feb 2024 - Decided24/057/HH
Extend a house
Fernbank, Galaha, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RB
Received 19 Feb 2024 - Decided24/058/LB
Install eight replacement windows
19 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 19 Feb 2024 - Decided24/059/HH
Install eight replacement windows
19 Dundas Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BZ
Received 19 Feb 2024 - Decided24/060/PP
Erect a replacement house (one for one) with an air source heat pump and create an access (resubmission of 23/334/PP)
Midtown (Land Near), Hoxa, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Received 19 Feb 2024 - Decided24/061/PP
Install replacement windows and doors, three air source heat pumps, external insulation and a PV array
Geramount Surgery, Stronsay, Orkney KW17 2AE
Received 20 Feb 2024 - Decided24/062/PP
Change of use of vehicle repair garage (Class 4) and seed store (Class 6) to shop (Class 1A) (as extension to existing shop), and alter windows and cladding (retrospective)
William Shearer, 71 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DQ
Received 20 Feb 2024 - Decided24/063/PP
Install six replacement windows
Our Lady & St Joseph's 31 Main Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1BU
Received 20 Feb 2024 - Decided24/064/PP
Install replacement windows and doors, three air source heat pumps, external insulation and a PV array
Flebister House Surgery, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2BW
Received 20 Feb 2024 - Decided24/066/HH
Extend a house
Berridale, 3 Hillside Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AH
Received 21 Feb 2024 - Decided24/067/PP
Erect a house (subdivision of curtilage), upgrade an access and alter an outbuilding
Skerravoe (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR
Received 21 Feb 2024 - Decided24/068/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump, and alter an access
Framar, Orphir Village, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RB
Received 21 Feb 2024 - Decided24/069/TC
Fell a tree
The Willows, Willowburn Road, Kirkwall Orkney
Received 20 Feb 2024 - Decided24/070/LB
Install replacement windows and doors and three air source heat pumps
Surgery, New Manse, Main Road, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2BE
Received 22 Feb 2024 - Decided24/072/CLEUD
Regularise the erection of three domestic sheds
51 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 22 Feb 2024 - Decided24/074/HH
Install three replacement windows
5 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 23 Feb 2024 - Withdrawn/Returned24/077/PIP
Siting of a house (in-fill development)
Bea (Land Near), Ballarat Road, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LE
Received 27 Feb 2024 - Decided24/078/LB
Display advertisements, install lamps, paint windows and doors and install secondary glazing
21 Bridge Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HR
Received 28 Feb 2024 - Decided24/079/SCO
Scoping opinion request to construct an ultra deep water quay including reclamation, and an access road
Flotta Oil Terminal (Land Near), Flotta, Orkney, KW16 3NP
Received 28 Feb 2024 - Unknown24/080/PN
Install three antennas, nine ERS units, three cabinets and ancillary development
Bing Fae (Land Near), Hoy Orkney
Received 27 Feb 2024 - Decided24/082/PP
Install a storage container and a modular building (temporary for 10 years)
The Pickaquoy Centre, Muddisdale Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LR
Received 28 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