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Orkney Local Development Plan
We're preparing a new Local Development Plan. Find out how we're preparing the new plan, and how you can get involved.
We adopted the Orkney Local Development Plan 2017 on 18 April 2017, covering the plan period 2017 to 2022. It remains in force, alongside the Scottish Government's National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), until a new plan is adopted.
The plan, and its supporting documents, are available to download below. An interactive version is also available online.
Planning applications are assessed against both the Local Development Plan and NPF4. Where they conflict, NPF4, as the more recent framework, takes precedence.
Main documents
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Orkney Local Development Plan 2017-2022
This document contains Orkney’s planning vision and spatial strategy for the next 10 to 20 years, guiding decisions on land and development. It sets out policies for housing, business, energy, town centres, transport, digital connections, community facilities, coastal areas, flooding, and the protection of natural and historic environments. It also identifies settlement boundaries, development sites and housing land, with appendices covering the proposals map, Council-owned land and housing densities.
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OLDP 2017 Post Adoption Statement
This document contains the post-adoption Strategic Environmental Assessment statement for the Orkney Local Development Plan 2017, adopted on 18 April 2017. It explains how environmental issues such as climate change, flooding, wildlife, water quality, peat, landscapes and cultural heritage were considered, and how consultation responses shaped the Plan. It also outlines the Plan’s likely benefits, monitoring arrangements and one remaining concern: water quality at the Stenness Waste Water Treatment Works.
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Proposed Plan Environmental Report
This document contains the Environmental Report for Orkney Islands Council’s proposed Local Development Plan, assessing its likely effects on climate, biodiversity, water, soils, landscapes, cultural heritage, health and resources. It describes the environmental baseline, objectives, alternatives, assessment methods and measures to avoid or reduce harm, finding the plan is broadly neutral or moderately positive, though some effects remain uncertain, especially for wind energy and flood risk. It also sets out annual monitoring, consultation responses and next steps toward adoption.
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Appendices
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Appendix A: Plans, Programmes and Strategies
This document contains an appendix to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Orkney Local Development Plan Proposed Plan (2016). It reviews national, international and local plans, policies and strategies covering climate change, flooding, biodiversity, water, landscapes, heritage, housing, health, transport, waste, the economy and rural development. It explains how the Local Development Plan should respond by supporting sustainable growth while protecting Orkney’s natural, historic and community assets.
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Appendix B: Environmental Baseline
This document contains an environmental baseline for Orkney to support the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Local Development Plan. It describes the current state of climate, biodiversity, water, soil, geology, landscape, cultural heritage, population, human health and material assets. It also identifies key environmental issues, risks and objectives, including climate change, flooding, habitat protection, historic sites, housing, waste and sustainable development.
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Appendix B1: Internationally and Nationally Designated Sites
This document contains an appendix listing Orkney’s internationally and nationally protected nature sites. It records the habitats, wildlife, landforms and marine features that make each site important, alongside assessments of their condition. It also includes marine protected areas and proposed Special Protection Areas, covering important breeding and wintering birds.
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Appendix B2: Local Nature Conservation Sites
This document contains Appendix B.2 of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Orkney Local Development Plan. It lists local nature conservation sites across Orkney, with their names, locations and whether they are important for biological, geological or landform features. It also identifies Geological Conservation Review sites.
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Appendix B3: Water Quality and Overall Status Classification
This document contains the 2013 water quality and overall status classifications used in the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Orkney Local Development Plan. It covers lochs, burns and coastal waters, showing whether each water body’s quality and overall status were high, good, moderate or poor, and whether conditions improved, degraded or stayed the same. Most lochs and coastal waters were good or high, while several burns and two mainland lochs showed poorer or degraded status.
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Appendix B4: Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area
This document contains a description of the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area in Orkney. It explains the area’s special qualities, including its ancient monuments, dramatic sandstone cliffs, fertile farmland, open moorland, hills, lochs and changing skies. It also covers the historic coastal town of Stromness, traditional buildings and crofting patterns in Rackwick, and includes a map of the area.
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Appendix B5: Scheduled Monuments in Orkney
This document contains Appendix B.5 of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Orkney Local Development Plan Proposed Plan. It lists Orkney’s scheduled monuments as recorded in May 2017, giving each monument’s name, type, location and parish. The list includes prehistoric sites, churches, settlements, castles, coastal batteries and wartime remains across Orkney’s islands.
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Appendix B6: Orkney Historic Properties in Care
This document contains a list of Orkney scheduled monuments in the care of Historic Scotland. It gives each monument’s name, location and grid reference, covering historic sites such as palaces, churches, brochs, burial chambers, settlements, stone circles and castles across the islands.
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Appendix B7: Buildings at Risk in Orkney
This document contains Appendix B.7 of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the proposed Orkney Local Development Plan. It lists buildings and other historic structures considered at risk across Orkney, including churches, mills, farm buildings, houses and military sites, with their locations. It also identifies sites where restoration is in progress.
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Appendix C1: Assessment of the Vision
This document contains an environmental assessment of the vision for Orkney’s Local Development Plan Proposed Plan (2016). It finds positive effects across climate, nature, water, geology, landscape, cultural heritage, soil, communities, health and local resources. The vision supports sustainable development, renewable energy, active travel, affordable housing, protection of farmland and heritage, and development near existing services, roads, ports and harbours.
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Appendix C2: Assessment of Stromness Allocations
This document contains a strategic environmental assessment of housing, business and community land allocations in Stromness for the proposed Orkney Local Development Plan. It reviews likely effects on flooding, water, wildlife, landscape, historic buildings, farmland, access, services and infrastructure. It identifies positive effects from links to schools, shops and public transport, alongside issues needing care, including flood risk, sensitive landscapes, watercourses, wildlife habitats and road improvements. It also sets out measures to reduce or manage these effects.
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Appendix C3: Assessment of Kirkwall Allocations
This document contains a strategic environmental assessment of land allocations in and around Kirkwall for the proposed 2016 Local Development Plan. It reviews housing, business and mixed-use sites for effects on flooding, wildlife, water, soils, landscape, heritage, transport and access to services. It identifies mitigation such as flood risk assessments, drainage measures, development buffers, protected green space, careful design and road improvements, while also assessing sites not included in the Proposed Plan.
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Appendix C4: Assessment of East Mainland and Linked South Isles Allocations
This document contains a Strategic Environmental Assessment of proposed land allocations in East Mainland Orkney and the linked South Isles. It reviews sites in settlements including Burray Village, Dalespot, Herston, Hillhead, St Margaret’s Hope, St Mary’s and Toab, covering effects on flooding, water, wildlife, farmland, landscape, heritage, access and services. It records mitigation such as flood risk assessments, buffer zones, design guidance and infrastructure improvements, and identifies sites not included in the Proposed Plan.
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Appendix C5: Assessment of West Mainland Allocations
This document contains the Strategic Environmental Assessment of land allocations proposed for the West Mainland in the Orkney Local Development Plan. It assesses housing and development options across settlements including Dounby, Finstown, Evie, Orphir and Stenness, covering effects on flooding, water, wildlife, farmland, landscapes, heritage, services and roads. It records the preferred options and identifies measures such as drainage improvements, wildlife buffers, heritage protection and infrastructure upgrades.
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Appendix C6: Assessment of the Policies for Compatibility with SEA Objectives
This document contains an assessment of 15 Orkney Local Development Plan policies against strategic environmental assessment objectives. It covers effects on climate, biodiversity, water, soil, landscape, cultural heritage, health, communities and resources. The assessment records where policies are fully or broadly compatible and explains how recommendations were included. Most policies are compatible, although the effects of proposed strategic wind energy areas remain uncertain until their locations are confirmed.
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Appendix D: Map of Natural Heritage Sites
This document contains a map of Orkney’s internationally and nationally protected natural heritage sites. It shows Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, Ramsar wetlands, Marine Protected Areas and Local Nature Reserves, alongside roads. The map was prepared by Orkney Islands Council for reference in 2015.
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