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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided25/312/PP
Remove stone slate and install Welsh slate on outbuilding
Ayre Hotel, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QX
Received 17 Sept 2025 - Decided25/313/LB
Remove stone slate and install Welsh slate on outbuilding
Ayre Hotel, Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1QX
Received 17 Sept 2025 - Decided25/314/AD
Display a sign and three flags displayed on flagpoles (maximum height 5 metres)
Finstown Substation, Finstown, Orkney
Received 18 Sept 2025 - Decided25/315/PP
Create an access, construct a road and footpaths, profile land to construct platforms and hardstandings, install services and drainage infrastructure, and associated landscaping, and erect two temporary accommodation units and a welfare unit and two generators (12 months)
Houton Ferry Terminal And Toilets (Land Near) Houton Road, Orphir, Orkney
Received 18 Sept 2025 - Decided25/316/PP
Erect three storage buildings (Class 6) and upgrade an access
J And W Tait, Sparrowhawk Road, St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1GE
Received 18 Sept 2025 - Decided25/318/PP
Install new and replacement play equipment
Dounby Primary School, Dounby, Sandwick, Orkney KW17 2JA
Received 19 Sept 2025 - Decided25/319/AMC
Change of use of land to domestic and erect a domestic shed (following planning permission in principle 22/391/PIP)
Quoyfaulds, Eday, Orkney, KW17 2AA
Received 22 Sept 2025 - Decided25/320/LB
Install replacement rooflights, rainwater goods, and door, install a roof vent, clad crowsteps with lead, and internal alterations
12 Ness Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DL
Received 22 Sept 2025 - Awaiting decision25/323/PP
Extraction of sand
Cara, Cara Links, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, KW17 2TH
Received 22 Sept 2025 - Decided25/324/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and create an access
Pharay's Park (Land Near), Pharays Park Road, Westray, Orkney
Received 24 Sept 2025 - Decided25/325/PP
Subdivide a house to create two houses and construct an access road (part retrospective)
Cassie, Sunnybank Road, St Ola, Orkney KW15 1TP
Received 29 Sept 2025 - Decided25/326/LB
Replace roof structure, install replacement windows and door and chimney pots, and additional roof trusses, and localised repairs (part retrospective) (amendment to 24/328/LB)
Burnmouth, Rackwick Road, Hoy, Orkney
Received 29 Sept 2025 - Decided25/327/HH
Extend a house and re-roof (retrospective)
Barebreck, Aikerskaill Road, Deerness, Orkney KW17 2QJ
Received 3 Oct 2025 - Decided25/328/LB
Remove stone slates and install temporary sheet metal roof covering
Langskaill, Langskaill Road West, Westray, Orkney KW17 2DR
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Decided25/329/PP
Remove stone slates and re-roof a house (tiles) and farm shed (sheets) (part retrospective)
Wards, Longhope, Hoy, Orkney
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Awaiting decision25/330/LB
Install air source heat pump, ventilation ducts and grilles, and paths, and remove ground floor pews including box pews, pulpit, canopy, communion table, font, parts of gallery staircases, staircase doors, gallery floor, and gallery pews, cover flagstone floor with concrete, alter staircases, erect a partition to create a toilet, install replacement gallery floor, alter gallery panelling, and install a plastic-coated wire mesh screen to gallery
St Columbas Church, Hoy, Orkney,
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Awaiting decision25/331/PP
Install an air source heat pump, two ventilation grilles, and a waste water treatment system, create an access from existing roadside parking, and construct parking, paths and steps
St Columbas Chruch, Hoy, Orkney,
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Decided25/332/HH
Install replacement windows, doors, rooflights, and cills, replace and extend glasshouse, relocate a pond, alter chapel, shed and boundary walls including openings and gates, erect a glasshouse, pavilion, and replacement treehouse, install fruit cages and entrance gates, and construct gravel car park, base for tanks, and install stone steps
Westness House, Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PT
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Decided25/333/LB
Install replacement windows, doors, rooflights, and cills, replace and extend glasshouse, relocate a pond, alter chapel, alter boundary walls including openings and gates, and internal alterations including altering partitions, install glazed screen, window shutters, remove plant cupboard, reline chimney flues, reline and insulate walls, bathroom alterations, and install cast iron radiators
Westness House, Westside Road, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PT
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Decided25/334/PP
Erect a shed
Bon-accord, Brodgar Road, West Mainland, Orkney KW16 3HZ
Received 6 Oct 2025 - Decided25/335/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and integral garage
Plot 1 Norseman, Rendall, Orkney
Received 7 Oct 2025 - Withdrawn/Returned24/254/NMV/01
Relocate palisade security fence, amend brickwork low level band to silver, amend drainage discharge into ditch
Sanday Primary Substation Sanday Orkney
Received 3 Oct 2025 - Unknown25/336/PN
Install 2 x 9 metre wooden poles
Kirkside (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney KW16 3PG
Received 4 Oct 2025 - Unknown25/337/PN
Install 3 x 9 meter wooden poles
2 St Colms North (Land Near), Hoy, Orkney KW16 3PH
Received 4 Oct 2025
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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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