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9,614 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Decided05/781/CAC
Change of use from tearooms to self-catering accommodation
Coach House Tearooms St Margaret's Hope
Received 4 Jan 2006 - Decided05/780/PPF
Erect porch on listed building
The Lodge Cottage Shapinsay
Received 18 Jan 2005 - Decided05/779/PPF
Convert store to dwelling unit
Coastguard Equipment Store Lady Sanday
Received 22 Dec 2005 - Decided05/778/LBC
Erect a porch to a listed building
The Lodge Cottage Shapinsay
Received 22 Dec 2005 - Decided05/777/PPF
Erect a house
Site 1 Swartland Road Dounby
Received 21 Dec 2005 - Decided05/776/PPF
Erect general purpose store
Weyland Farm East Road Kirkwall
Received 22 Dec 2005 - Decided05/775/PPF
Extend a house
12 Royal Oak Road Kirkwall
Received 22 Dec 2005 - Decided05/774/PPF
Conversion of barn to residential unit
Milldam Tankerness
Received 16 Dec 2005 - Decided05/773/PPF
Erect a guest house with ancillary accommodation
Dealt (Land Near) Stenness
Received 21 Dec 2005 - Decided05/772/LBC
Alter offices and new roof over courtyard of listed building
9 King Street Kirkwall
Received 21 Dec 2005 - Decided05/771/RPF
Alter offices and new roof over a courtyard
9 King Street Kirkwall
Received 21 Dec 2005 - Withdrawn/Returned05/770/LBC
Extend visitor shop
Skaill House Sandwick
Received 19 Dec 2005 - Decided05/769/PPF
Extension and alterations to a house
2 Alfred Terrace Stromness
Received 15 Dec 2005 - Decided05/768/PPO
Conversion of a barn to a dwelling
Milldam Tankerness
Received 16 Dec 2005 - Withdrawn/Returned05/767/PPF
Erect an extension to the visitors' shop
Skaill House Sandwick
Received 19 Dec 2005 - Decided05/765/PPF
Erect a house
Hopedale (Land Near) Stromness
Received 19 Dec 2005 - Decided05/764/PPF
Erect 3 self-catering holiday units
Inganess St Ola
Received 15 Dec 2005 - Decided05/763/PPF
Extend a house
Ness Birsay
Received 12 Jan 2006 - Decided06/054/PPO
Siting of a replacement house
Bronlqueena Bimbister Harray
Received 2 Feb 2006 - Decided06/053/PPO
Renovation of a house, outline application
Upperhouse Bimbister Harray
Received 30 Jan 2006 - Decided06/052/PPO
Siting of a Replacement House
Cruaday Bryameadow Twatt
Received 30 Jan 2006 - Withdrawn/Returned06/051/PPO
Siting of a replacement house
Twargarn Harray
Received 30 Jan 2006 - Decided06/050/PPF
Use Rock arisings for Rip-rap
Skaidaquoy Point Holm
Received 2 Feb 2006 - Decided06/049/PPF
Erect domestic garage & change of use to garden ground
Sophiecott (land Adjacent To) Heddle Road Finstown
Received 1 Feb 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