Renewable planning › Onshore wind › Orkney Islands
Onshore wind planning in Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands has decided 28 onshore wind schemes and approved 93% of them, taking a median of 6.2 months to decide. Consented capacity: 159 MW. 5 applications still awaiting a decision.
How Orkney Islands compares
Against the 75 UK authorities with 5+ onshore wind decisions, Orkney Islands sits in the 93rd percentile for approval rate (25 points above the England average) and the 91st percentile for speed.
Decisions by year
Onshore wind decisions by the year the decision was issued (Renewable Energy Planning Database). Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.
Every recorded scheme (37)
| Scheme | MW | Status | Decided |
|---|---|---|---|
Greentoft, Neven Point, Eday - Wind Turbines & BESS Green Power (International) Limited · 25/203/TPPMAJ | 24 | Application Submitted | 2025-06-23 |
Akla Wind Energy Project - Wind Turbine Orkney Renewables Limited · 25/079/TPP | 2 | Application Submitted | 2025-04-08 |
New Holland, Stratheast Road -Wind Turbine New Holland Wind Llp · 24/360/TPP · 5.3 mo to decide | 0.5 | Awaiting Construction | 2025-02-24 |
Newark, Skelwick - Wind Turbine Distgen Limited · 24/298/TPP · 5.4 mo to decide | — | Awaiting Construction | 2025-02-13 |
Harbour Authority Building, St Ola - Wind Turbine Orkney Sea Cadets · 24/299/TPP · 4.1 mo to decide | — | Awaiting Construction | 2025-02-06 |
Ludenhill, Lochside Road - Wind Turbine Constantine Wind Energy · 23/295/TPP · 7.1 mo to decide | 0.5 | Awaiting Construction | 2024-03-26 |
Work Farm, Work Road - Wind Turbines Birsay Energy Limited · 23/038/TPP | 1.8 | Application Withdrawn | 2024-01-30 |
Hammer, Skelwick - Wind Turbine Constantine Wind Energy · 23/153/PP · 6.3 mo to decide | 0.5 | Awaiting Construction | 2023-12-01 |
Nitshill Wind Farm, Hundland Hill Nisthill Wind Farm Limited · 22/320/TPPMAJ | 26.4 | Application Submitted | 2022-09-07 |
Orkney�s Community Wind Farm Project - Qanterness Orkney Islands Council · 20/037/TPPMAJ · 22.1 mo to decide | 28.8 | Awaiting Construction | 2021-12-21 |
Orkney�s Community Wind Farm Project - Hoy Orkney Islands Council · 20/313/TPPMAJ · 14.8 mo to decide | 28.8 | Awaiting Construction | 2021-12-21 |
Hammars Hill Wind Farm Extension Hammars Hill Energy · 20/112/TPP · 17.9 mo to decide | 8.4 | Planning Permission Expired | 2021-09-30 |
Orkney�s Community Wind Farm Project - Faray Orkney Islands Council · 21/240/TPPMAJ | 28.8 | Application Submitted | 2021-06-25 |
Hesta Head Wind Farm Hoolan Energy/ Hesta Head Wind Farm · 17/083/TPPMAJ · 25.4 mo to decide | 20.4 | Awaiting Construction | 2019-04-18 |
Costa Head Wind Farm Hoolan Energy · 16/580/TPPMAJ · 28.3 mo to decide | 16.3 | Awaiting Construction | 2019-04-18 |
Evie Wind Energy Project Private Developer · 09/045/PPF · 71.5 mo to decide | 2.3 | Planning Permission Expired | 2015-01-12 |
Rysa Wind Energy Project Orkney Renewable Energy · 13/072/TPP | 2.7 | Application Withdrawn | 2014-04-30 |
New Holland Windflow UK · 13/261/TPP · 3.3 mo to decide | 1 | Operational | 2013-11-06 |
Skeabrae Wind Energy Project Skeabrae Renewables Ltd · 12/599/TPP | 1.5 | Application Withdrawn | 2013-09-03 |
Bu Wind Farm Repowering Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) · 12/725/TPP · 5.2 mo to decide | 2.6 | Abandoned | 2013-04-12 |
Work Farm Wind Turbines S & JD Robertson Group Ltd · 12/699/TPP · 3.6 mo to decide | 1.8 | Revised | 2013-01-31 |
Akla Orkney Sustainable Energy · 10/631/PP · 24.3 mo to decide | 2.7 | Awaiting Construction | 2012-12-17 |
Spurness Wind Farm Repowering Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) · 11/102/TPP · 4.6 mo to decide | 10 | Operational | 2011-07-21 |
Barns of Ayre Wind Turbines (2) Ayre Energy/Aquatera Ltd · 10/594/PP · 4 mo to decide | 1.8 | Operational | 2011-03-12 |
Gallowhill Private Developer · 08/491/PPF · 4.6 mo to decide | 1.8 | Operational | 2009-03-02 |
Hammar's Hill Hammers Hill Energy Ltd · 08/138/PPF · 9.9 mo to decide | 4.3 | Operational | 2009-01-06 |
Burgar Hill (land Near), Evie Unknown · 07/422/PPF · 16.9 mo to decide | 2.3 | Operational | 2008-12-04 |
West Hill, Flotta Scotrenewables (Scotland) Ltd · 04/224/PPF · 43.7 mo to decide | 2 | Operational | 2007-12-18 |
Enyas Hill Hainsford Energy · 04/16/350/PPS · 6.2 mo to decide | 6 | Application Refused | 2005-01-05 |
Gruf Hill Orkney Sustainable Energy · 02/410/PPF · 4.4 mo to decide | 7.5 | Application Refused | 2003-03-01 |
Spurness Wind Farm Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) · 4 mo to decide | 11 | Decommissioned | 2003-01-01 |
Flotta Scotwind (Scottish Renewables) · 02/241/PPF · 3.1 mo to decide | 1.8 | Operational | 2002-09-01 |
Rothiesholm Longearth Ltd / Farm Energy · 01/006/PPF · 3.9 mo to decide | 2.7 | Operational | 2001-05-01 |
Thorfinn Wind Farm - NM1500 Vestas · 02/020/PPF · 13 mo to decide | 1.5 | Operational | 1999-11-22 |
Thorfinn Wind Farm - NM2000 Vestas · 02/189/PPF · 13 mo to decide | 2.3 | Operational | 1999-11-22 |
Burgar Hill Orkney Sustainable Energy · 4.7 mo to decide | 5 | Operational | 1997-07-07 |
Bu Farm Longearth Ltd/ Farm Energy | 2.7 | Operational | — |
Does Orkney Islands approve onshore wind schemes?
Yes — of the 28 onshore wind schemes Orkney Islands has decided, 93% were approved (26 granted, 2 refused). The UK-wide rate for onshore wind is 68%.
How long does a onshore wind scheme application take in Orkney Islands?
The median time from application to decision is 6.2 months, against a UK median of 11.5 months for onshore wind. That is measured between the submission and decision dates recorded in REPD, so it reflects the whole determination period including any extensions.
How much onshore wind capacity has Orkney Islands consented?
159 MW has been consented across 26 approved schemes, with 14 MW refused. A further 5 applications awaits a decision.
Other technologies in Orkney Islands
Source: Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Open Government Licence v3.0 — 2026 Q1 extract. Approval rate is over decided applications only (approved ÷ approved+refused); withdrawn and undecided schemes are excluded. A permission later expired still counts as approved because consent was granted. REPD covers schemes of roughly 150 kW and above, is published quarterly, and does not record refusal reasons — so nothing here explains why a scheme was refused. Screening context for site selection, not planning advice.
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