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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided26/152/HH
Erect an outbuilding (summerhouse) with an air source heat pump (amendment to 25/147/HH)
Roshaven, Evie Orkney KW17 2NJ
Received 21 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/153/PPMAJ
Erect 28 houses and 36 flats with air source heat pumps, create an access, construct a road, surface water drainage basin, and associated services, infrastructure and landscaping
New Scapa Road (Land Near) (K-9), Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 21 May 2026 - Decided26/154/PP
Erect a gymnasium
Plot H62, Crowness Road, Hatston Industrial Estate, Kirkwall
Received 22 May 2026 - Decided26/155/PP
Erect nine houses with roof mounted solar panels, create an access, install a communal foul drainage system and associated landscaping
Coplands Road (Land Near), Garson, Stromness, Orkney
Received 22 May 2026 - Withdrawn/Returned26/157/HH
Install a dormer window and new flue pipe
Bridgewood, 22 Willowburn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1NG
Received 22 May 2026 - Decided26/158/HH
Extend a house
3 Robertson Loan, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1GQ
Received 26 May 2026 - Decided26/159/LB
Replace bathroom interior, install electric underfloor heating and install extraction fan
Ness House, Ness Road, Stromness Orkney KW16 3DL
Received 26 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/160/PP
Change of use from dental practice to flats (Class 9), extend stair tower, install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods and install rooflights and air source heat pumps
10 King Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1JF
Received 26 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/161/LB
Extend stair tower, install replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods, install rooflights and air source heat pumps to facilitate change of use to flats
10 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JF
Received 26 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/163/PP
Erect 16 houses with solar panels including associated roads, services, landscaping and infrastructure
Coplands Road (Land Near), Stromness Orkney
Received 27 May 2026 - Decided26/164/LB
Repaint lighthouse, repair roof and install replacement handrail
Noup Head Lighthouse, Westray Orkney
Received 27 May 2026 - Decided26/166/PP
Change of use of part of a field to domestic and erect a shed
West Clumley, Sandwick, Orkney KW16 3LP
Received 1 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/167/WL
Replace a short section of cable protection, removal of old earthing wire, and installation of a new earthing solution
Head Of Work, Kirkwall Orkney
Received 1 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/168/PP
Change of use of land to form domestic curtilage, erect an outbuilding and site a static caravan (retrospective)
Deasbreck, Durkadale Road, Birsay, Orkney KW17 2JD
Received 1 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/169/PP
Convert building from Class 1A (dental surgery) to Class 10 (religious use) replace door and install heat pump and sign
11C Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DH
Received 2 Jun 2026 - Decided26/170/PP
Extend house, reclad roof and external cladding of garage, re-sitting of oil tank, erect a concrete block boundary wall and form a new window (amendment to 25/208/PP)
Hall Of Clestrain Farmhouse, Orphir, Orkney KW16 3HB
Received 28 May 2026 - Awaiting decision26/171/PP
Convert existing guest house to a self catering unit and extend
Kaya, Stenness, Orkney KW16 3JX
Received 2 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/172/PP
Erect a building over existing slurry tank to form slatted court and erect a lean-to building
Brettobreck, Kirbister Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3HU
Received 3 Jun 2026 - Decided26/173/HH
Extend a house
Bu' Of Cairston, Bu Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JH
Received 3 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/174/LB
Install signage and lifebelts
Stromness Museum, 52 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3DF
Received 3 Jun 2026 - Decided26/175/LB
Install a defibrillator unit and bleed kit unit
Nationwide Building Society, 24 Bridge Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1HR
Received 4 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/176/PP
Change of use and extend mill to form a dwelling house, and erect a dwelling house and garage (two-for-one)
Bu' Of Cairston, Bu Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3JH
Received 4 Jun 2026 - Decided26/177/LB
Replace gable window and two rooflights
Flat 2, Nicols House, St Olaf's Wynd, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1JB
Received 5 Jun 2026 - Decided26/178/HH
Replace gable window and two rooflights
Flat 2, Nicols House, St Olaf's Wynd, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1JB
Received 5 Jun 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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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