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 · 10,048 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,614 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 18 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided06/162/PPF
Erection of a house
Old Berriedale Near Rackwick Westray
Received 9 Mar 2006 - Decided06/157/PPF
Change of use from workshop to self contained residential unit
Rowandale Finstown
Received 7 Mar 2006 - Decided06/154/PPF
Erect a conservatory
Kingshouse Harray
Received 1 Mar 2006 - Decided06/153/AGR
Erect a general purpose shed
Tifter Westray
Received 1 Mar 2006 - Decided06/152/PPF
Erect a replacement house
Redland Firth
Received 28 Feb 2006 - Decided06/151/PPF
Erect a garage
Quoyliddle Sanday
Received 27 Feb 2006 - Decided06/150/PPF
Erection of a dwellinghouse (replacement house)
Quarrybanks Stromness
Received 23 Feb 2006 - Decided06/103/PPR
Erection of a House
Plot 3 Thorden Deerness
Received 8 Feb 2006 - Decided06/102/PPF
Extension to a House
High-Hill Eday
Received 15 Feb 2006 - Decided06/100/PPF
Erection of GP Building (domestic use)
Oaklea Holm
Received 9 Feb 2006 - Decided06/433/PPF
Erect a House
Grimeston Road (Plot 2) Harray
Received 4 Jul 2006 - Decided06/432/PPF
Instalation of 2 dormers
Burwood Springfield Drive Kirkwall
Received 19 Jul 2006 - Decided06/430/PPF
Erection of a Weather Station
Cauldale (EMEC) Eday
Received 22 Jun 2006 - Decided06/424/PPR
Erection of a House
Hundland Road (adjacent To) Swannay Birsay
Received 7 Jul 2006 - Withdrawn/Returned06/271/PPF
Erect dwelling house associated with rural business workshop
Veniver And Island View Between Sunnybank Rd St Ola
Received 27 Apr 2006 - Decided06/270/PPF
Erect a dwelling house
Eastaquoy Horton Orphir
Received 26 Apr 2006 - Decided06/269/PPF
Erection of a new slatted cattle court
Blinkbonny Farm Stronsay
Received 4 May 2006 - Decided06/411/PPF
Erection of Garage / Workshop
Milestone Cottage Finstown
Received 3 Jul 2006 - Decided06/410/PPF
Erection of a House
Plot 3 Storehouse Development St Mary's Holm
Received 29 Jun 2006 - Decided06/409/PPF
Extend a house, erect a garage, form an access & instal septic
Woodburn Stenness
Received 26 Jun 2006 - Decided06/301/PPF
Erect dwelling house
Site 1, Orphir Village Plots Linran Orphir
Received 2 May 2006 - Decided06/300/PPF
Change of use to working area, meat process and prep & packing
38 Albert Street Kirkwall
Received 12 May 2006 - Decided06/299/AGR
Erect store for farm machinery
Trenabie Westray
Received 12 May 2006 - Decided06/298/AGR
Erect a shed for silage storage
Burnside Dykeside Westray
Received 11 May 2006
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