Which ward in Orkney has the highest planning approval rate?

North Isles at 97.7% based on 1,188 decisions.

Which ward in Orkney has the lowest planning approval rate?

Kirkwall East at 95.3% based on 1,098 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Orkney?

There is a 2.4% gap between North Isles and Kirkwall East. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Orkney

Planning outcomes in Orkney are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 2.4% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

7,933 real decisions·6 wards·Updated March 2026

96.0% approved overall. But 318 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Orkney shifts your odds by up to 2.4%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 6 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	North Isles	1,188	1,161	27	97.7%
2	Kirkwall West & Orphir	1,360	1,312	48	96.5%
3	Stromness & South Isles	1,175	1,126	49	95.8%
4	East Mainland, South Ronaldsay & Burray	1,403	1,340	63	95.5%
5	West Mainland	1,632	1,557	75	95.4%
6	Kirkwall East	1,098	1,046	52	95.3%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in North Isles but face serious resistance in Kirkwall East.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 2.4% gap separates the best and worst wards. North Isles approves 97.7% of applications while Kirkwall East approves just 95.3%. That's a fundamentally different planning environment.

High volume doesn't mean high approval. Some of the busiest wards aren't the most permissive. The number of applications a ward processes tells you nothing about how likely yours is to succeed.

Ward averages are a starting point, not a guarantee. Your specific outcome depends on your property, your neighbours, your proposal type and the comparable decisions near your address.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

318 planning applications in Orkney have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Orkney planning data

Methodology: Covers 7,933 planning decisions in Orkney, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Orkney Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →