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9,644 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Awaiting decision26/241/LB
Install replacement windows, cowls to chimney and re-render walls
Burra House, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NJ
Received 17 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/242/HH
Extend a house
Harrabrough, 2 Quoybanks Drive, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1EJ
Received 18 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/243/PP
Reinstate a house and extend, including alterations, install an air source heat pump and erect a boundary fence
1 King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1JF
Received 18 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/244/LB
Remove existing garage door and replace with window and composite boards and replace existing window and door to the rear of garage
22 High Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1AZ
Received 19 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/248/PN
Peat Restoration
Hobbister Moor, Orphir Orkney
Received 21 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/249/HH
Extend a house
Nordene, St Ola Orkney KW15 1SX
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/251/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and air source heat pump
Plot 2, Norseman, Rendall, KW17 2NY
Received 26 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/257/PP
Replacement of windows and dormers, replace rooflights, repairs to existing roof and replacement of slates as required, removal of concrete skew and replace with leadwork and replace rainwater goods
38 Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AA
Received 31 Aug 2026 - Decided26/258/PN
Install 1 x 9m pole and 1 x 8m pole
3 Repeater Road (Land Near), Stenabreck (Land Near) Berstane Loan, Kirkwall
Received 14 Aug 2026 - Decided26/259/PN
Install 3 x 8m pole and 1 x 9m pole
13, 22, And 27 Hordaland, Kirkwall Orkney
Received 23 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/261/HH
Extend a house and erect a stable and shed
Sabiston Mill Cottage, Birsay Orkney KW17 2HS
Received 1 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/268/HH
Install patio doors in an existing window opening and associated decking outside
33 Kirklands Road, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1EU
Received 4 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/269/PP
Erect three self-catering pods and a laundry with communal foul drainage system and associated landscaping and create an access
Cribbaquoy, Church Road, Harray, Orkney KW17 2LQ
Received 7 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/270/PP
One for one replacement of redundant farm building with house and garage, including heat pump, with retention of existing buildings as garage and walled garden
Former Agricultural Buildings, Nether Onston, Stenness,
Received 7 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/271/PP
Install replacement rooflight
11 Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1PA
Received 7 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/272/LB
Replace roof covering, lead work and vent (retrospective)
Watergate House, Watergate, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1PD
Received 14 Sept 2026 - Decided26/273/SCR
Screning Request
New Scapa Road (Land Near), Kirkwall Orkney
Received 13 Aug 2026 - Decided26/274/SCR
Screening Request
Land West Of Easdale Burn, New Scapa Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 13 Aug 2026 - Awaiting decision26/282/SCR
Screening request
Kranyo (Land Near), Holm, Orkney
Received 21 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/283/SCR
Screening request
Burgar Hill Wind Farm, Evie, Orkney
Received 21 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/284/PP
Replace a fire door
Orkney Media Group Ltd, 14 Albert Street, Kirkwall Orkney KW15 1HP
Received 21 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/285/APN
Internal works and the installation of a septic tank and soakaway
Skesquoy, Orkney
Received 22 Sept 2026 - Decided26/286/PN
Install 1 x 9m wooden pole
Highbrake (Land Near), Orphir Orkney
Received 18 Sept 2026 - Awaiting decision26/287/PP
Erect four houses (three with integral garages) and air source heat pumps (4 x one-for-one) and install drainage infrastructure
Quoyberstane (Land Near), Craigiefield Road, St Ola, Orkney
Received 23 Sept 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