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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 17 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided26/124/LB
Replace three windows and install cast iron rainwater goods
Graemeshall House, Graemeshall Road, Holm, Orkney KW17 2RX
Received 27 Apr 2026 - Awaiting decision26/125/PP
Erect a house and create an access
Sharalee (Land Near), Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3JB
Received 30 Apr 2026 - Decided26/127/HH
Extend a house
Bungalow, Birsay, Orkney KW17 2NP
Received 30 Apr 2026 - Decided26/128/PP
Install a portable building for use as a craft workspace temporary period of 10 years (Use Class 4 & 11)
Bankhouse, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2BJ
Received 30 Apr 2026 - Withdrawn/Returned26/129/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump
Lynnside (Land Near), Lynn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 4 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/130/PP
Erect a 3 storey building to accommodate office space and ferry operations including waiting room and associated covered walkway
Pentland Ferries, St Margarets Hope Orkney
Received 4 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/131/PP
Create an access and erect a fence (to close off existing access) and remove condition 04. (access) from planning permission 18/490/PP
Baikies Noust, Evie Village, Evie, Orkney KW17 2PJ
Received 6 May 2026 - Decided26/132/LB
Install three aluminium signs and paint a door (retrospective)
Drever And Heddle, 56A Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HQ
Received 6 May 2026 - Unknown26/133/APN
Change of use from an agricultural shed to a dwelling
Vennabrek (Land Near), Tankerness Orkney
Received 6 May 2026 - Decided26/134/PP
Install three aluminium signs and paint a door (retrospective)
Drever And Heddle, 56A Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HQ
Received 6 May 2026 - Unknown26/135/PN
Install 1 x 9m wooden pole
4 Warrenfield Crescent (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1QD
Received 30 Apr 2026 - Unknown26/136/PN
Install 1 x 9m wooden pole
8 Pipersquoy Road (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney Islands KW15 1EQ
Received 30 Apr 2026 - Awaiting decision26/137/PP
Change of use of agricultural land to garden ground and erect a domestic annex with an air source heat pump
Caernarfon (Land Near), Aikerskaill Road, Deerness, Orkney KW17 2QJ
Received 24 Apr 2026 - Awaiting decision26/138/PIP
Siting of a replacement house (one for one)
Ploverhall (Land Near), Georth Road, Evie Orkney
Received 11 May 2026 - Decided26/139/PP
Erect a GP shed and create an access
Sandhurst (Land Near), Stromness Orkney
Received 11 May 2026 - Decided26/140/AD
Install a fascia sign
Fish Mart, Stronsay, Orkney KW17 2AS
Received 12 May 2026 - Withdrawn/Returned26/141/PP
Change of use from agricultural land to a secure dog walking field with associated access, parking area, fencing, gates and shelter
Vinkwin (Land Near), Evie Orkney
Received 12 May 2026 - Decided26/143/LB
Repair and maintenance works at rear of bank building
Bank Of Scotland, 56 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HQ
Received 14 May 2026 - Decided26/144/PP
Repair and maintenance works to rear of Bank building
Bank Of Scotland, 56 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HQ
Received 14 May 2026 - Decided26/147/LB
Replace roof covering with composite slates
Upper Flat, Old Manse, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney KW17 2LX
Received 14 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/148/TPPMAJ
Replace five existing turbines (up to 116m to tip, 11.3MW) with 5 wind turbines (up to 149.9m to tip, up to 30MW export) with associated ancillary infrastructure
Burgar Hill Wind Farm, Evie, Orkney
Received 19 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/149/LB
Convert mill to house including works to re-roof, replacement windows and doors, install solar panels, replace rainwater goods and internal alterations
Kirbister Mill, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RA
Received 19 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/150/PP
Convert mill to a house
Kirbister Mill, Orphir, Orkney KW17 2RA
Received 19 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/151/PP
Erect three dwellings (1 detached and pair of semi-detached)
West Banks, Ferryhouse Road, Holm, Orkney
Received 20 May 2026
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