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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided25/414/PP
Erect a self-catering cabin with an air source heat pump, amendment to design (retrospective)
Baikies Noust, Evie Village, Evie, Orkney KW17 2PJ
Received 5 Dec 2025 - Decided25/415/PP
Install new and replacement play equipment
Firth Primary School, Finstown, Firth, Orkney KW17 2ES
Received 5 Dec 2025 - Decided25/416/LB
Cast replacement chimney stack cap and install vents and replacement chimney pot
5 School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1JG
Received 5 Dec 2025 - Decided25/417/HH
Re-roof a house and alter roof pitch
The Haining, 3 Hornersquoy Lane, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1BE
Received 5 Dec 2025 - Decided25/418/HH
Re-roof a house and alterations to roof pitch
5 Hornersquoy Lane, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BE
Received 5 Dec 2025 - Awaiting decision25/419/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and detached garage
Runcigill (Land Near), Rackwick Road, Hoy, Orkney
Received 8 Dec 2025 - Decided25/420/AD
Display a fascia sign
13 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP
Received 2 Dec 2025 - Decided25/421/PP
Erect a shed and install a ground mounted solar array
Rendall Community Centre, Rendall Orkney KW17 2NZ
Received 10 Dec 2025 - Decided25/422/HH
Alter a house (domestic annex)
Hall Of Tankerness, Tankerness Hall Road, Tankerness St Andrews Orkney KW17 2QS
Received 10 Dec 2025 - Decided25/423/HH
Extend a house
Bigbreck Cottage, Birsay Orkney KW17 2LZ
Received 11 Dec 2025 - Decided25/426/HH
Extend house and garage
Queena, Upper Twatt Road, Stenness, Orkney KW16 3HH
Received 15 Dec 2025 - Unknown24/254/NMV/02
Amend low level brickwork and fence arrangement
Sanday Substation, Sanday, Orkney
Received 9 Dec 2025 - Unknown25/247/NMV/01
Form new stone walls using gabion baskets. Minor reduction in height of proposed wall.Minor change in timber cladding detail.
Westbank (Land Near), Georth Road, Evie, Orkney, KW17 2PJ
Received 10 Dec 2025 - Decided25/427/TC
Prune two mature trees
17 South End, Stromness Orkney KW16 3DJ
Received 15 Dec 2025 - Withdrawn/Returned25/428/AMC
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and integral garage and detached garage (house for retiring farmer) (following planning permission in principle 24/449/PIP)
Upper Ellibister (Land Near), Rendall Orkney
Received 15 Dec 2025 - Decided25/429/AMC
Erect a house with an integral garage and an air source heat pump, and create an access (following planning permission in principle 24/351/PIP)
Seaview (Land Near) Annfield Road, Tankerness St Andrews Orkney
Received 15 Dec 2025 - Awaiting decision25/430/PP
Erect a food production building including sales, display area, function/event space, storage, offices , garage, outside serving hatch external seating new access and associated parking and landscaping
Cleatfurrows, The Palace, Birsay Orkney KW17 2LX
Received 16 Dec 2025 - Decided25/431/HH
Extend a house
Kelby, Littlequoy Road, Burray Orkney KW17 2SX
Received 16 Dec 2025 - Decided25/432/AD
Display 2 x fascia signs
2 Graham Place, Stromness Orkney KW16 3BY
Received 16 Dec 2025 - Decided25/433/PP
Repaint windows and doors and replace flashing
2 Graham Place, Stromness Orkney KW16 3BY
Received 16 Dec 2025 - Decided25/434/S36CON
Section 36 Screening Opinion
Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm
Received 10 Dec 2025 - Unknown25/435/APN
Erect a GP shed
East Howe, Howe Road Birsay Orkney KW17 2NB
Received 18 Dec 2025 - Decided25/436/S36CON
Marine Directorate Consultation
Ayre Offshore Wind Farm
Received 18 Dec 2025 - Decided25/437/PP
Change of use from recording studio and accommodation to a public hall (event space), shop, gallery, and studio (Classes 1A, 3, 10 and 11), install replacement windows and doors, create car parking, alter wall, construct paths, and associated landscaping (part retrospective)
The Space, Church Road, Rousay, Orkney KW17 2PU
Received 19 Dec 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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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