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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided26/180/PN
Install 1 x 7m, 2 x 8m and 3 x 9m wooden poles
St Colms Quadrant (Land Near) Longhope Orkney KW16 3PH
Received 2 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/182/LB
Alter and extend a guest house including relocation of the bar/cafe
West End Hotel, 14 Main Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1BU
Received 10 Jun 2026 - Decided26/183/PN
Install 1 x 9m wooden pole
Old Papdale Halls Of Residence (Land Near), Berstane Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 11 Jun 2026 - Unknown26/184/APN
Erect a GP shed
Braefoot, North End Road, Shapinsay Orkney KW17 2DZ
Received 11 Jun 2026 - Decided26/185/LB
Internal strip out (including watchroom immediately beneath the lantern), structural repairs to cracks, roof and drainage repairs, re-waterproof, external redecoration (including historic metalwork repairs and replacements), replacement batteries, engine and fuel system, water system, lighting and rewiring, and full internal alterations including replacement bathroom, kitchen and accommodation areas
Sule Skerry Lighthouse, Orkney
Received 11 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/186/PP
Erect a house with three air source heat pumps and an integral garage, associated landscaping and upgrade an access (resubmission of 24/429/PP)
Ferneybrae, Mill Bay Road, Eday Orkney KW17 2AB
Received 12 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/187/PP
Create two serviced sites and demolish a domestic garage
31 Hillside Road(Land Near) Stromness Orkney
Received 12 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/188/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and air source heat pump
4 Dale Park, (Plot 10 Errival) St Ola, Orkney, KW15 1SX
Received 16 Jun 2026 - Decided26/189/EB
Simplified notification to install three-span spur of 33kV overhead line with 10 metre wooden poles (Amendment to 26/086/EB)
Park Of Heddle, Finstown Orkney
Received 12 Jun 2026 - Decided26/190/PN
Install 1 x 8m wooden pole
11 Slater Street (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1PQ
Received 16 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision24/388/NMV/01
Install solar panels
13 Links, Sandy Road, Westray, Orkney KW17 2DH
Received 18 Jun 2026 - Decided26/191/HH
Proposed alteration and extension including dormer window
Westermill, 24 Willowburn Road, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1NG
Received 19 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/194/TPP
Erect three 5kw wind turbines (maximum height 15m)
Castles (Land Near), Eday, Orkney
Received 25 Jun 2026 - Decided26/195/PN
Install 1 x 9m wooden pole
10 Quoybanks Crescent (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney
Received 22 Jun 2026 - Awaiting decision26/197/PP
Change of use from store to student accommodation on first floor
27 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AG
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decided26/199/HH
Extend a house
13 Papdale Crescent, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1JS
Received 3 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/200/PP
Paint walls, windows and doors, minor roof repairs, and install new and replacement rooflights
116 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BU
Received 6 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/201/LB
Paint walls, windows and doors, minor roof repairs, minor internal amendments, and install new and replacement rooflights
116 Victoria Street, Stromness Orkney KW16 3BU
Received 6 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/202/PP
Change of use of part of car park to a hot food takeaway van site
Sutherland Garage, Stenness Village, Stenness Orkney KW16 3JY
Received 7 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/204/TPP
Erect a 5kW wind turbine generator (maximum height 18m)
Kranyo (Land Near), Holm, Orkney
Received 8 Jul 2026 - Decided26/206/TC
Prune a tree
Bank Of Scotland, 56 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HJ
Received 10 Jul 2026 - Unknown26/207/APN
Erect a GP shed
Lenahowe, Tenston Road, Sandwick, Orkney KW16 3JA
Received 7 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/208/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and garage
Thorden (Land Near), Deerness, Orkney ,
Received 10 Jul 2026 - Awaiting decision26/209/VR
Application to vary Condition 2 of 21/512/VR (varying 02/16/00189/PPF) to extend the operational life of two turbines at Burgar Hill from 20 years to 25 years from date of commissioning
Burgar Hill Wind Farm, Evie, Orkney
Received 13 Jul 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