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 dates

11,981Searchable 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9,614 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn.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: 19 Oct 2026. Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.

Local planning information

Council sources checked 14 Sept 2026

Planning information Planning and Building Local plan Development and Marine Planning (policy)Pre-application advice Pre-application Advice Conservation areas Conservation Area Consent

Council contacts

Planning enquiries01856873535 Council source
Planning enquiriesplanning@orkney.gov.uk Council 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

Decided03/085/PPF
Demolish 2 derelict houses, erect Counselling Centre
4 & 6 Gunn's Close, Kirkwall
Received 26 Feb 2003
Decided03/081/PPF
Extensions to a mixed use property (dwelling/guesthouse)
Lav'rockha Inganess Road Kirkwall
Received 25 Feb 2003
Decided02/467/PPF
Alterations to a house
Ancum, North Ronaldsay
Received 5 Nov 2002
Decided02/505/PPF
Erection of replacement house for farmer
Glowerowerhim (Land Near), Dale, Stromness
Received 29 Nov 2002
Decided02/400/LB
Extend, alter & refurbish existing Arts Centre, demolish No.34
28/36 Victoria Street, Stromness
Received 17 Sept 2002
Decided02/399/PPF
Extend, alter & refurbish existing Arts Centre, demolish No.34
28/36 Victoria Street, Stromness
Received 23 Sept 2002
Decided02/084/PPF
Erection of a house and garage
Northfield, Holm, KW17 2RZ
Received 4 Mar 2002
Decided02/076/PPF
Erection of 2-bedroom dwelling house
Blinkbonny (Land Near), St Ola
Received 1 Mar 2002
Decided02/247/PPF
Erection of new garage for community bus
Pierowall (Land Near), Westray
Received 27 May 2002
Decided00/087/PPF
Alterations & Extension to a House
Marsdene Finstown
Received 15 Mar 2000
Decided02/362/PPF
Erection of a house with attached garage
Site 2 (Land Near), Havelock, Stromness
Received 20 Aug 2002
Decided01/401/PPF
Extension to a house
Skelray Blackhill Road Sunnybrae St Ola KW15 1FP
Received 15 Oct 2001
Decided01/388/PPF
Slatted Byre
Howan Dounby
Received 28 Sept 2001
Decided01/325/PPF
Retro Shed and Booking Office for Hostel
Bisgoes Westray
Received 29 Aug 2001
Decided01/324/PPF
Conversion of outbuilding into residential accommodation
Brodgar Stenness
Received 30 Aug 2001
Decided01/297/PPF
Extension to a house
Lochside Burray
Received 8 Aug 2001
Decided01/083/PPF
Single storey extension to front of house
The Inn St Mary's Holm
Received 22 Feb 2001
Decided01/082/PPF
Extension to a house and alterations to a roof
Bachylis Orphir KW17 3HD
Received 21 Feb 2001
Decided02/394/PPF
Erection of 4 WTGs, Anemometry Mast & Control Module
Spurness (Land Near), Sanday
Received 17 Sept 2002
Decided02/391/RPF
Hard rock quarry operation
Cursiter Quarry, Grimbister
Received 14 Feb 2002
Decided01/006/PPF
Erection of 3 wind turbine generators with mast and sub-station
Rothiesholm Stronsay
Received 8 Jan 2001
Decided00/290/PPF
Erection of Extensions to 2 Dwelling Units
Units 4 & 5 Sunnybank Stromness
Received 15 Aug 2000
Decided00/239/PPF
Erection of a House
Annfield Near Tankerness
Received 1 Jun 2000
Decided00/237/PPF
Erection of a Dwelling House
Khania Twatt
Received 21 Jun 2000

Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.

View all applications

Researching 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 applications

Guides to planning records

All planning guides

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.
UK research
Published 16 Jul 2026Updated 13 Sept 2026
Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
UK research
Published 6 Aug 2026Updated 13 Sept 2026
Property research · 13 min read
Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
UK research
Published 13 Aug 2026Updated 13 Sept 2026

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