Kirkwall Urban Design Framework Part 3 - Orkney Islands Council

Development Zone 1- Papdale and the Willows 

4.28 Any significant development within this area will be related to educational 

facilities.This is largely based on the presence of existing primary and secondary 

educational buildings, as well as halls of residence.A replacement secondary 

school is proposed between Willow Road and ‘The meadows’ on the site of 

existing playing fields.The proposals include the provision of new playing fields 

on the site of the existing secondary school. 

bay of Kirkwall 

4.29 Opportunities for small scale housing development and provision of new halls 

or residence are also identified.All of the development within this zone should 

respond to the strategic greenspace corridor as outlined in the Strategic 

framework Plan.This strategic greenspace corridor should act as a focus for 

new development, and provide a new community resource and activity area. 

4.30 The main opportunities for this area are: 

• Enhance as a strategic green link; 

• maintain open greenspace in front of Papdale house; 

• Reopen Papdale burn culvert; 

• Improve and enhance pedestrian and cyclist access through area; 

• Refurbishment / redevelopment of Papdale farm buildings; 

• Provide conceptual framework for secondary school new build, and 

• Redevelopment of existing halls of Residence buildings. 

Figure 4.2 Development Zone 1, scale 1:25,000 

This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100021621. 2008. 

Kirkwall Urban Design Development framework p43 

N 

Map Scale 1:25,000 @ A4

4.0 developing the vision 

1A Greenspace 

4.31 This document supports the concept of constructing the new secondary school 

on existing playing fields between Willow Road and ‘The Meadows’, and installing 

playing fields on the site of the existing school.This would allow a strategic 

green wedge to be established connecting ‘The Willows’, the greenspace in 

front of Papdale House, the new school playing fields, Papdale East Park and the 

countryside to the south east. Environmental enhancements should be considered 

at Otterswick Crescent to promote the transition of greenspace across the 

urban edge.There are opportunities to plant appropriate tree species in Papdale 

East Park, softening the outline of the densely built landscape of Papdale East and 

increasing the biodiversity and landscape value of the greenspace. 

4.35 The location of the new playing fields should not act as a barrier to pedestrian 

and cyclist movement across the area especially if the playing fields require 

perimeter fencing. 

4.36 There is an opportunity to restore and utilise the existing historic walled garden 

as an educational resource to be used by the college and both schools.The garden 

could function at many levels; as an experimental organic food production site; 

ecological garden; sheltered outdoor teaching areas. 

4.32 The greenspace and open aspect in front of Papdale house should be preserved. 

The trees surrounding Papdale house, the farm buildings, the walled garden and 

any mature trees that comprise this woodland grouping should be protected. 

further trees and structured woodland areas could be established between the 

existing halls of residence buildings, the primary school and Papdale house to 

offer further amenity, spatial definition and shelter. 

4.33 The reopening of the Papdale burn culvert should be investigated at the planning 

and design process as part of a wider strategy to manage flood risk in the locality 

as part of this development project.This would have environmental benefits in 

terms of habitat creation and biodiversity as well as providing an amenity focus 

within the strategic ‘green wedge’.The landscape amenity value of the burn at the 

surface is evident at ‘The Willows’. It could be integrated with a SUDS scheme 

as part of a discharge system.This may have benefits in terms of providing 

opportunities for flood alleviation against storm water conditions such as those 

experienced in 2006. 

1C halls of 

Residence 

Willow Road 

1A Strategic 

Greenspacel 

1D Papdale 

farm 

4.34 Existing pedestrian and cyclist access links should be enhanced and extended 

where possible.The key strategic link between Kirkwall College and the new 

Grammar School should be enhanced. Other strategic links should also be 

enhanced to the town centre via ‘The Willows’ along existing footpaths and 

pavements on Willow Road and to the east of the Primary School.These links 

should be extended towards the countryside to the south via Papdale Park which 

would benefit from structure woodland and spatial definition. 

The meadows 

1b Grammar 

School 

N 

Figure 4.3 Development Zone 1, NTS 


Kirkwall Urban Design Development framework p44

4.37 Pedestrian and cyclist access to the schools from the western and southern 

parts of the town through bignold Park and the existing path that runs parallel 

to Garrioch Street should be improved. 

4.38 Proposals to develop a new halls of residence building in the middle of the 

existing site must demonstrate that they respond sympathetically to the 

overall objectives of this UDf document in terms of the creation of a strategic 

greenspace link in this locality. Detailed design layout of new buildings should 

ensure appropriate provision for pedestrian and cycle permeability and that 

greenspace is incorporated within the new build development. The design 

objectives outlined in this document for sites 1b and 1C will also be relevant 

to consideration of a new build halls of residence building in the local area, and 

where this impacts on 1A Strategic Greenspace. 

1B Grammar School 

4.39 Careful consideration needs to be given to the way that school buildings are 

located on site to ensure that they are well integrated into the urban structure of 

the town and its green networks.The new school is a major civic development for 

Kirkwall and it must therefore be of a worthy stature and quality of design which 

will enhance the area. It is not appropriate to establish rigid criteria for new 

development in this document. however, future reserved matters or full planning 

applications must demonstrate that they have addressed the following matters: 

• The illustrative layout presented at figure 4.3 places buildings on the western 

part of the site which would achieve a strong urban edge to Thoms Street. 

There is also the opportunity for a strong entrance point to the school from 

the meadows. 

• The new Grammar School will act as a community focus for the Papdale area. 

With this in mind the buildings for the new school should present ‘positive’ 

designed elevations to ‘The meadows’ and other surrounding streets 

incorporating amenity landscape areas and external circulation that benefits 

the students, staff and community alike. One of the most negative aspects 

of the existing school complex is the amount of blank and featureless walls 

which, in combination present an uninviting complex of buildings. 

Cheerful, contemporary architecture for children 

Kirkwall Urban Design Development framework 

p45


Reinterpretation of traditional form and massing 

Street in Kirkwall and Loreto Community School, Milford 

Elegant blank walls Understated entrance sequence to building Robust choice of materials 

School in Spain Nursery School, Italy Kirkwall Urban Design Development framework p46

• The Grammar School should integrate with the existing green spaces and 

woodland areas. Classrooms and teaching areas would benefit from views 

over the greenspaces. New woodland areas should be considered to soften 

the impact of this large development and integrate it with the surrounding 

greenspace, as well as contributing to the wider strategic green corridor. 

Opportunities to re-open the culverted Willow burn should be explored 

and only discounted where there is a clear operational or safety reasons 

for it remaining as it is. 

• The school could form a series of modest sized and interconnected 

built forms, or building clusters, instead of large monolith blocks.The 

arrangement of the built forms should provide varied, welcoming and 

sheltered spaces and courtyards between them incorporating hard and soft 

landscape areas for play and socialising as well as acting as external teaching 

rooms. 

• Circulation around and through the school should be promoted with 

main entrance points relating to key contextual pedestrian / cycle links. 

Consideration should be given to large internal social areas for periods of 

poor light and weather. 

• The preferred location for parking should be to the southwest or south 

east minimising vehicle movements and access between the school and the 

existing greenspaces to the north. 

4.40 An excellent example of a large new school in a small-town context is the 

recently-completed Loreto School in milford, Donegal by Grafton Architects. In 

a similar context, the complex is designed as a series of varying-scaled buildings 

creating the image of a ‘settlement’ (as opposed to an institution) and generating 

a series of sheltered external spaces which relate to the internal spaces they 

adjoin. 

4.41 The building is architecturally successful externally because its inherent bulk is 

divided up into a rigorous grouping of forms.This and the consistent application 

various materials give the complex variety and human scale. It also has a strong 

relationship to the particular characteristics of the landscape setting. Despite 

its large size, it is site-specific and subsequently appears to ‘belong’ to its place. 

This project offers lessons for the design of the new Kirkwall Grammar School 

project. 


p47


1C Redevelopment of Existing Halls of Residence Site 

4.42 The existing halls of residence buildings do not relate to their surrounding 

context.The building massing and scale is not in proportion to other nearby 

residential buildings and therefore they sit uncomfortably in their setting.They 

are prominent on the skyline from certain viewpoints given their slightly elevated 

location. If there is an opportunity to provide alternative student accommodation 

elsewhere in the town consideration should be given to the removal of the 

existing halls of residence buildings and to replace them with medium to high 

density housing.Approximately 20-30 units could be developed within the 

existing 0.5ha footprint based on a medium - high density layout. 

4.43 A number of semi-detached housing units largely comprise the context of this 

site. It is therefore considered that semi-detached housing possibly combined with 

mini ‘terraces’ of 3-4 housing units; most likely to be 2 - 3 storeys in height would 

comprise a suitable scale of development for this site. 

4.44 The site of the existing halls of residence is slightly elevated above the town 

centre and therefore views over the town towards St magnus Cathedral, the 

harbour and the Orkney Landscape beyond should be considered desirable from 

majority of units and will influence the orientation and layout of any new build. 

Alternatively the buildings could be arranged in ‘cloister’ groupings establishing a 

clear and sheltered circulation whilst generating a sequence of social spaces. 

4.45 With no through vehicle access the 

overall layout should promote the 

sense of small community through 

a dense cluster of built forms. 

Pedestrian links should be extended 

through the development to the 

surrounding path network. 

4.46 Equally this site could accommodate 

a new halls of residence 

development based on a similar 

form and scale as above if no 

alternative location for halls was 

available. 

Indicative layout for Halls of Residence Site 


p48

1D Papdale House Farm Buildings 

4.47 The Papdale House farm buildings offer a significant opportunity for 

redevelopment and refurbishment. Given their central location between both 

schools and Kirkwall College, and access to key strategic pedestrian and cyclist 

links these buildings could be converted to provide new halls of residence. 

This should involve the redevelopment of the existing farm buildings with the 

probable addition of 2 or 3 new-builds. 

4.48 The buildings should form a relatively high density residential campus set within 

an existing woodland framework.The incorporation of 2 or 3 new buildings 

would present an opportunity to create internal courtyard spaces for play and 

socialising in a safe and sheltered external environment. 

4.49 It is envisaged that new buildings would be 2 or 3 storeys with a relatively 

simple footprint.The buildings should incorporate small single or twin rooms 

with en-suite facilities. Communal areas should be provided for socialising 

during inclement weather and these should be located primarily on the ground 

floor.This would allow a visual interaction between the internal and external 

communal areas to promote vitality and interest. Nearly all of the main access 

points to the buildings would be from the courtyard areas which would be free 

of vehicle access although allowing access for emergency and service vehicles. 

4.50 The form of the new buildings should complement the scale and form of the 

existing farm buildings. Consideration should be given to the impact on the setting 

of the nearby Papdale house and associated buildings which are category b listed. 

It is envisaged that the existing farm buildings would comprise restoration of the 

traditional stonework although it may be possible to incorporate contemporary 

architectural interventions in the treatment of entrances and access points, and 

other details. 

4.51 There is an opportunity to implement a contemporary style with the new 

buildings that would sit side by side with that of traditional stone construction 

of the existing farm buildings.This could be achieved through the use of varied 

shapes, materials, textures and colour to assist in the creation of a spatially 

interesting and stimulating campus especially on facades and elevations of the 

internal courtyards. 

NEW bUILD 

COURTYARD 

PAPDALE 

hOUSE 

COURTYARD 

NEW bUILD 

CAR PARK 

EXISTING WOODLAND 

New building encloses courtyard 

House in Oudenburg, Belgium 

Indicative layout for Papdale Farm Buildings 



4.52 Consideration should be given to coloured harling, metal, glazing or timber 

materials as the main visible construction material.A simpler treatment could 

be considered for external elevations although there should also be key visual 

relationships with the surrounding mature trees and woodland setting. 

4.53 Links between the halls of residence and strategic pedestrian and cyclist links 

should be encouraged especially on Papdale Loan. 

4.54 The new halls of residence campus could incorporate a youth community 

centre and the facilities should be flexible enough to offer cheap hostel 

accommodation in summer / holiday periods. 

4.55 Should the above use not prove possible the farm buildings could also offer an 

opportunity for refurbishment as flats and housing units, or potentially annex 

educational buildings including workshops, artist studios etc.The buildings 

would also lend themselves to development of sheltered housing scheme.The 

design guidance above would be applicable to the above uses with additional 

consideration being given to the breakdown of private and public space in the 

courtyards areas. 

Contemporary public building responds to vernacular heritage without pastiche 

Museum of Rural Life, Kittochside 

Contemporary details against traditional stonework 


Transportation Implications 

4.56 The level of vehicular activity associated with the new grammar school is likely to 

be unchanged compared to the present situation. The existing school is accessed 

from The meadows to the east of the site and Willow Road from the west.The 

relocated grammar school is likely be accessed from The meadows to the south 

and / or the east of the new facility. It is recommended that Willow Road is used 

primarily as pedestrian and emergency / service access. 

4.57 As a result the patterns of vehicular access may change slightly compared to 

the current situation, as traffic re-routes from outlying main connectors such as 

bignold Park Road and berstane Road, but overall the levels should remain similar 

to present. 

4.58 No timetabled bus services currently serve the east of the town, which includes 

Kirkwall College and the grammar school.There is the potential for a new service 

which could take in East Road, berstane Road and The meadows.This could 

potentially link the College, proposed halls of Residence and Grammar School. 

4.59 The conversion of Papdale house farm buildings to halls of Residence is likely 

to result in a small increase in vehicular movements along berstane Road.This is 

unlikely to have a significant impact upon traffic flow in the area especially as most 

residents are likely not to own a car. 

4.60 Safe crossing facilities should be provided on berstane Road, to enhance the 

cycle/pedestrian ‘spine’ linking Kirkwall College, the halls of Residence and the 

Grammar School. 

4.61 Car Parking facilities for the Grammar School, new halls of Residence and 

housing Development should be provided in line with Orkney Islands Council 

Local Car Parking Standards. 

4.62 Safe, plentiful and secure cycle parking should be provided at new developments 

to complement the high quality of walking and cycling links to these destinations. 

Contemporary interventions in historic fabric 

Entrance and window details 


p51


Development Zone 2 - The Town Centre and Harbour Area 

4.63 Any significant development within this area will be related to the provision of 

additional retail space as well as options for leisure, recreation and tourism.This is 

supported by its location within the town centre and its proximity to the harbour. 

There may be some opportunities in the provision for high density residential 

accommodation and / or office space. It is likely that the sites under consideration 

would be rich in features of archaeological interest and provision should be made 

to allow investigations in advance of any development.This in itself may provide 

opportunities for visitor and tourism interest. New development in this area 

should have particular regard for the need to preserve, and where appropriate 

research and record buried archaeology which may be disturbed by the 

development process.This will be secured by planning conditions. 


4.64 The main opportunities for this development zone include: 

• To refurbish the former Todds buildings for retail and complimentary town 

centre uses such as restaurants / cafes that can make use of the civic space 

on bridge Street; 

• To create a civic space in front of the former Todds buildings on bridge 

Street; 

• To suggest long term replacement options for oil depot; 

• To suggest long term replacement options for the Ambulance Station; 

• To improve pedestrian permeability through area. 

4.65 An open aspect to the harbour area when viewed from new and existing 

buildings on the south side of Shore Street should be retained.This is likely to 

limit the scale of new development within the harbour area to around2 storeys 

to match those already located in the harbour area. however, there may be some 

opportunities for higher density elements, for example to mark the corner of St 

Catherine’s Place and Shore Street. 

N 

Figure 4.4 Development Zone 2, scale 1 : 25,000 

27,000This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100021621. 2008. 


Map Scale 1:25,000 @ A4

2A Former Todds Building 

4.66 There is potential to convert the former Todds building, set back from bridge 

Street, into additional quality retail space within the town centre.The deep 

profile of the building offers provision for retail units. 

OIL DEPOT 

4.67 The former Todds building also backs onto the oil depot site; another potential 

long term development site. Consideration should therefore be given for the 

long term development of two sites together or at least providing pedestrian 

access from bridge St to St Catherine’s Place, and also from St Olaf’s Wynd to 

Shore Street through a permeable building development.This may also allow 

further development of internal areas of the site, perhaps for higher density 

residential. 

4.68 There is also an option for the former Todds building to offer an internal 

and sheltered retail experience in the form of an arcade or internal ‘street’. 

Consideration should be given to providing internal space for covered markets 

and civic events perhaps with perimeter retail units.The internal space could 

provide a thoroughfare access to St Catherine’s Place and Shore Street, via 

the oil depot site as outlined above.The development could comprise a 

refurbishment of some of the existing stone gabled façade on the west elevation 

but could incorporate contemporary materials and details to allow an active 

frontage to the civic space including large window openings and doorways. 

bRIDGE ST 

CIvIC 

SPACE 

RETAIL 

RETAIL 

NEW vENNEL 

ST OLAf’S WYND 

NEW vENNEL 

RESIDENTIAL 

ST CAThERINE’S PLACE 

4.69 The space in front of the former Todds building on bridge Street should 

be enhanced to provide a quality public realm space. It could potentially 

incorporate natural stone paving and street furniture and possibly small new 

build development on blank facades.This space could offer a sheltered outdoor 

space capable of holding civic events such as markets and street fairs. 

Indicative layout for Todds Building Site 


p53


2B Oil Depot 

4.70 As a high profile site on the harbour front, there should be a long term strategy 

for the replacement of the oil depot on Shore Street to hatston.The replacement 

of the oil depot offers significant potential for a landmark development perhaps 

worthy of a design competition. Possible uses may include; a hotel; conference 

facilities; restaurant; office space; residential; retail; marina services.The site is 

large enough that it could provide a combination of the above through a mixed 

use development. The design of any new building on the oil depot site should 

incorporate design features which address the proximity of the site to the 

seafront and the associated risk of coastal flooding. 

4.71 The existing harbour front offers an array of building heights and forms.As the 

highest building on the harbour front at 4½ storeys, the Kirkwall hotel is a 

landmark building that marks the harbours natural centre point. It also highlights 

the entrance to the historic core via bridge Street.The buildings on the harbour 

front to the west of the Kirkwall hotel decrease in height to 2 – 2½ storeys. 

There is a suggestion of physical rhythm between narrow gable ends and longer 

front elevations.This rhythm is also present on the east side of the bridge Street 

entrance although all of the buildings on this side are a consistent height of 2 – 

2½ storeys. 

4.72 The Kirkwall hotel should remain the tallest building on the harbour front.Any 

development of the oil depot site should predominantly maintain an elevation 

that reflects the average building height of the harbour front of 2- 3 storeys and 

the building line should be located at the rear of pavement. Similarly the elevation 

on St Catherines Place should also reflect the consistent building heights of 

2½ storeys and back of pavement building line.There may be an opportunity 

to increase the height of the built form to 3 – 4 storeys at the corner of St 

Catherines Place and Shore Street. Not only would this provide a ‘bookend’ to the 

harbour front and architectural feature on the corner, but it would allow some 

visual balance in height across the harbour front elevation.These may be further 

potential to increase building height to 3 -4 storeys through recessing higher 

floors from the street building line. 

4.73 The harbour front comprises relatively narrow buildings with the longest 

elevation current approximately 25m. Even the façade of the Kirkwall hotel is 

subdivided into 5 through the use of building projections / recesses.Any future 

development of the oil depot site should consider use of a varied front façade, 

perhaps incorporating projections 

and recesses, or be subdivide 

into more than one building, to 

try and reflect this rhythm of 

the harbour front preventing 

the implementation of one long 

elevation on the same building line 

which would visually dominant the 

built form on the harbour. 

4.74 Car parking and storage space 

should be located at the rear of 

the building. 

4.75 There is an opportunity for 

any new development should 

utilise contemporary forms and 

materials suitable for a prestigious 

harbour front development.The 

building should maximise the 

views over the harbour and the sea. 

Indicative Elevation for Harbour Front Site 


2C East Harbour / Marina and Ambulance Station 

4.76 There should be a long term strategy for the development of the east harbour 

and marina area, the replacement of the ambulance station and associated office 

buildings on the harbour front adjacent to the oil depot site.As with the oil 

depot the Ambulance Station site offers significant potential for a high quality 

development on the harbour front which may incorporate similar facilities 

to those as above.There is potential at the east harbour and marina area to 

incorporate commercial or leisure based development. 

4.77 Any building development should align with the back of pavement development 

of the harbour front and the existing corner building on St Catherines Place, 

effectively providing a continuation of the harbour front.The building should 

be 2 - 2½ storeys although there may be a possibility to provide pedestrian 

access to the building at two levels, ground floor on Shore Street and also at 

the 2 nd or 3 rd floor, at ground level from Cromwell Road.The overall layout of 

and new buildings and the massing and density of built form should ensure that 

it respects the traditional pattern of development in this area and relates well 

to Cromwell Road and St Catherine’s Place. This is likely to involve a varied/ 

stepped roof form to ensure glimpsed views through to the sea from Cromwell 

Street. 

hARbOUR 

ShORE STREET 

CROmWELL STREET 

ST CAThERINE’S PLACE 

Architectural feature 

Proposed building footprint 

Existing built forms 

building Access 

Indicative layout for Harbour Front Site 


p55



4.78 The potential addition of retail space in the former Todds building, and a mixed 

use ‘landmark’ development on the site of the oil depot have the potential 

to create a moderate number of vehicular based trips to the historic core 

of Kirkwall. however, the close proximity of the current central district (and 

associated public transport links), the opening up of public space and the 

enhancement of existing pedestrian areas/links should help to maximise the 

number of people accessing these facilities by means other than private vehicle. 

It is envisaged that the vehicle access to both the Oil Depot site and the former 

Todds site would be either from Shore Street of St Catherines Place.This may 

increase potential for localised congestion on St Catherine’s Place and restrictions 

should be considered to discourage through traffic on this street. 

4.79 Sensitive design of the facilities should mean that parked vehicles do not intrude 

visually. Servicing of these facilities could be undertaken outside of peak hours, to 

reduce the impact of loading vehicles and deliveries. 

4.80 Car parking should be provided in line with Orkney Islands Council’s Local Car 

Parking Standards. 


p56

Development Zone 3 - The Peedie Sea 

4.81 This area is substantially underutilised at present.The visual and spatial 

relationships around the Peedie Sea have also suffered as a result of fragmented 

urban development in this area.There are large sites and buildings that are 

underused or empty.The area is within walking distance of the historic town 

centre and transport links.There is good access via the Pickaquoy Road and 

Ayre Road.As such this area offers potential for significant development. 


4.82 The area around The Peedie Sea and the reclaimed ground around Great 

Western Road carries considerable potential for accommodating further 

development and creating a new, contemporary area with its own character 

complementing the nearby historic core in the same way that Edinburgh’s 

Old and New Towns exist happily adjacent each other despite fundamentally 

different urban and architectural characteristics. 

4.83 Development in this area should be mixed use with provision for new 

residential, retail, office space, arts, leisure and/or hotel uses. Such development 

could present positive change in addressing the fragmented urban edge, 

redefine the western gateway into the town and improve the spatial experience 

and sense of community.The Peedie Sea is a valuable landscape asset and 

could provide a focus to future development offering a distinct sense of 

place and landscape setting as well as focus for the community.As detailed in 

paragraphs 4.19 and 4.20 the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment has identified 

flood risk in this area of Kirkwall which means that development of some 

sites may not be possible until strategic infrastructure improvements are 

put in place.The Council is currently investigating potential approaches to 

addressing flooding issues in central Kirkwall and developers are encouraged 

to seek this information at an early stage in the planning and design process. 

Notwithstanding, proposals will require to be accompanied by detailed flood 

risk assessment work for each site.All sites in this area will be required to 

address Scottish Planning Policy on flooding (currently set out in SPP7) in the 

Design Statement.” 




N 

Map Scale 1:25,000 @ A4


4.84 In addition the area on the west side of Pickaquoy Road adjacent to the Ayre 

mills filling Station and hatston brae should be the preferred site for Kirkwall’s 

Business Park. 

4.85 The main opportunities this Development Zone includes: 

• To provide location for high quality business space or ‘business Park’; 

• Improve pedestrian and cyclist linkages between the town centre, the 

Peedie Sea and future development areas to the west; 

• maintain and improve strategic greenspace of Peedie Sea; 

• Improve spatial structure of Pickaquoy Road; 

• Improve gateway to town from west. 

4.86 A series of low/medium density office or small workshop style buildings is 

envisaged with integrated courtyard areas and good linkages with the surrounding 

cycle and pedestrian network. There should be a common language of design in 

new buildings which should be simple in terms of detailing and use of materials 

but should establish a high quality appearance commensurate with their landmark 

location along the road frontages. buildings on hatston brae should be set back 

from the road with car parking to the front and appropriate landscaping and tree 

planting incorporated in order to ensure a sympathetic outlook onto hatston 

brae. buildings along Pickaquoy Road should be located to the front of the site, 

establishing a street edge with car parking to the rear. Opportunities to mark 

the corner of the site at the Glaitness and Ayre mills Roundabout should be 

addressed through detailed design. 

4.87 The site is susceptible to both coastal and fluvial flooding and its development, 

before strategic flood prevention measures are in place, is unlikely to comply with 

Scottish Planning Policy. As above, the Council is undertaking work to assess 

potential approaches to dealing with flooding issues in this locality and developers 

are encouraged to seek this information at an early stage in the planning and 

design process. 

3A Jewsons Site 

4.88 The Jewsons site is located between Junction Road to the east, Great Western 

Road to the west, burmouth Road to the north and the new Travel Centre and 

associated bus stance hard standing to the south.The site comprises a former 

timber yard and builder’s suppliers, and several other small scale mixed use 

buildings none of which are considered architecturally significant .The majority of 

the site is redundant and empty although there is a temporary use for the storage 

of construction materials. Given its central location this site is considered to be a 

prime site for redevelopment incorporating mixed use residential and business / 

office space.A flood risk assessment has been undertaken (December 2008).The 

flood Risk Assessment must be referred to in the preparation of detailed plans 

for the site.This includes recommendations for raised ground floor levels for the 

site and highlights the fact that work is underway to investigate improvements to 

the Peedie Sea balancing reservoir and local drainage infrastructure which may be 

necessary to mitigate flood risk.A flood risk assessment has been undertaken of 

this site and its findings should inform the design of any redevelopment proposal. 

4.89 A variety of building scales and forms surround the site.This includes one storey 

light industrial sheds on Great Western Road, the contemporary style of the 

new Travel Centre and the 3-4 storeys Kiln Corner development to the north. 

The majority of these buildings are located on the rear pavement line providing 

a strong urban street form at street level although this fragments above the first 

storey where a variety of building heights, styles and materials are present.This 

results in an inconsistent roof line. 

4.90 A new development should be predominantly located at the rear pavement line to 

enhance the urban form of the surrounding streets.The scale of the surrounding 

buildings dictates that a consistent building height of 2 - 3 storeys would be 

suitable with possibly slightly higher building heights on burmouth Road which 

would reflect a pattern of higher building forms towards the harbour and be 

consistent with the recent development at Kiln Corner. higher buildings points 

could also be incorporated into ‘feature’ or foci elements of the development 

such as the southern corner on Great Western Road. 


p58

N 

4.91 It is anticipated that the development should take the form of a perimeter block 

with an internal courtyard that could be utilised for parking and semi private 

amenity and social pedestrian space. Pedestrian linkages should be encouraged 

between the town centre and Great Western Road especially responding to the 

existing link from Albert Street through the Castle Street car park. by extending 

this link through the site, an opportunity is made available to provide pedestrian 

access to the Travel Centre from its north end and improve pedestrian circulation 

around this building.As an architecturally ‘distinct’ building, the Travel Centre may 

benefit from the physical separation that would be created by the introduction of 

this pedestrian link. 

PROmINENT 

fACADE 

INTERNAL 

COURTYARD 

RESIDENTIAL 

RET AIL / OffICES 

JUNCTION ROAD 

4.92 The development should present a positive and interesting façade to the south 

over the Travel Centre bus stances which would contribute to the enhancement 

of this ‘space’ by providing a strong edge. It also represents the most visible and 

prominent elevation of the development.As the south facing elevation it is likely 

that this should incorporate large areas of glazing which would also assist in the 

provision of an ‘active’ façade for the Travel Centre bus stance ‘space’, especially in 

combination with the pedestrian link from Castle Street car park. 

4.93 Business and office space should be located primarily on the ground floor.There 

may be opportunities to provide some retail within this development, also on the 

ground floor, and preferably these should address Junction Road opposite the 

existing Post Office. Residential accommodation should be relatively high density 

flatted development. 

WEST CASTLE STREET 

TRAvEL 

CENTRE 

PEDESTRIAN LINK 

TO CASTLE ST CAR PARK 

4.94 All or part of the Jewsons site would also present an option to provide an 

improved car parking facility in the town centre. Careful consideration of the 

boundary treatment would have to be given as to not be detrimental to a town 

centre urban block including stone walls and extensive planting. 

Indicative sketch for the Jewsons Site 

4.95 It has recently been announced that the Scarth Centre on the neighbouring 

site at Great Western Road is to close.This offers the opportunity for the 

comprehensive redevelopment of a larger combined Jewsons/Scarth Centre/Great 

Western Road car park site. Should this larger opportunity arise, there will be a 

need to review the planning and design guidance set out in this UDf to cover this 

larger site through the preparation of a detailed site masterplan.The principles set 

out at paragraphs 4.81 -4.83 would be a starting point for the masterplan process. 


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3B Power Station 

4.96 There should be a long term strategy to convert the main Power Station 

building into a community or public building. It has an interesting architectural 

form and its size would lend itself to an arts centre, theatre, museum or visitor 

centre. It has a prime location on the shore of the Peedie Sea and close to the 

town centre.There are opportunities for public and civic space around the 

building that could accommodate public life especially on the Peedie Sea side of 

the building where a pedestrian and cyclist walkway should circle the water. This 

would require the removal of the industrial tanks and other apparatus from the 

rear of the building. flood risk in this area is an issue which should be addressed 

in any redesign of this building. 

4.97 There is an opportunity for a significant architectural intervention at the northern 

end of the building when viewed from St magnus Lane and the Great Western 

Road from the north.The conversion of the building should be a landmark 

development largely reflecting the existing architectural form although there may 

be opportunities to incorporate contemporary components such as extensions 

and details as required. 


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3C Power Bowl and Former Bus Station 

4.98 The combined site to the south of the main Power Station, incorporating the 

garage depot, former Power Bowl and former Bus Station, offers significant 

opportunities for mixed use development and provision for long term car parking 

for the town. The following paragraphs examine a range of potential options which 

could be progressed. Other options are possible provided that these respect the 

generaldesign criteria set out at paragraph 4.94 below, and deliver the mixed use, 

high quality urban environment orientated towards the Peedie Sea envisaged at 

paragraphs 4.81-4.83 above 

4.99 The Council has identified the combined Bus Station, Powerbowl and southern 

part of the power station site as a site where retail development will be supported. 

A single use retail scheme could therefore be developed on this site, subject to 

consideration of the various design criteria detailed below. 

4.100 An alternative solution for all or part of the site could be a mixed use retail/ 

residential scheme.A new building or series of buildings on the Pickaquoy Road 

would provide opportunities for office and business space on the ground floor and 

/ or significant retail outlets. Residential accommodation could be incorporated on 

upper floors although it is envisaged that the buildings would not be higher than 2 

– 3 storeys.The development between Pickaquoy Road and the garage depot could 

be based on either a perimeter block layout or a series of terraces reflective of the 

herringbone layout of the historic core. 

necessary to facilitate development of the neighbouring sites. A Traffic Impact 

Assessment will be required to investigate this issue as part of the planning 

and design process. 

PEEDIE SEA 

CIRCULAR WALKWAY 

mIXED USE 

POWER STATION 

GREAT WESTERN ROAD 

4.101 The indicative layout option presented here has been produced to demonstrate 

that a mixed use scheme can be accommodated, taking into account the proposed 

changes to Great Western Road which have been preliminarily designed, and 

which are likely to be necessary to allow development to proceed in this area.This 

layout establishes that a medium scale retail unit and series of terraced residential 

blocks with associated car parking could be accommodated on the site. Other 

layouts and mixes of land uses are possible and it is expected that a detailed Design 

Statement will be required to accompany planning applications in this area which 

will demonstrate that a proposal achieves the urban design objectives for the wider 

area 

RETAIL 

CAR PARKING 

4.102 Whatever land use is established for the site, the key design considerations will 

be to ensure a positive relationship with Pickaquoy Road in order to improve the 

gateway experience into the town centre, and that there are visual and pedestrian 

links established between the existing street network and the Peedie Sea.As 

above, the site is at risk from flooding and it may not be possible to bring forward 

development of these sites until improvements to strategic flood infrastructure are 

implemented.The Council is undertaking work to assess potential approaches to 

dealing with flooding issues in this locality and developers are encouraged to seek 

this information at an early stage in the planning and design process. Roads Services 

have also undertaken initial work to investigate a revised road layout for the Great 

Western Road junction. It is likely that these road improvement works will be 

Corners to be marked by built 

edge - either new buildings or 

natural stone boundary walls 

PICKAQUOY ROAD 

Indicative layout options for Power Bowl and Bus Station Site 


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3D Retail 

4.103 The area to the south of the Pickaquoy Road largely comprises three 4.105 Permeability to the local street network, including linkages to the surrounding 

supermarkets and associated car parking.With the exception of the recent 

housing estates to encourage walk-in shopping patterns and links to the town 

Lidl store, none of the stores address the street in building form or through 

centre shopping areas must be provided through the design and layout of the car 

active frontages.The Tesco’s supermarket (formerly Somerfield) and the Co-op 

park and open space associated with the supermarket sites. 

supermarkets would be mistaken for warehouses or light industrial units if it were 

not for the signage.The space between these buildings comprises incoherent car 4.106 The design of these buildings should present a light, contemporary architectural 

parking and disused land. 

character with high regard to low energy issues and sustainable construction and 

operation.The Tesco ‘Eco’ Store in Wick offers some lessons on how to achieve 

4.104 Where there are proposals to alter, rebuild or extend the supermarkets it is this. 

important that proposals create a more coherent physical form. New build retail 

units must either maintain these buildings at a consistent building line set back 

from the road and maintain car parking in front, or preferably extend the building 

footprint forward and present an active frontage and regular rhythm of built 

from to the street.This could include the location of entrances fronting onto the 

street and should maximise use of glazing at ground level onto Pickaquoy Road. 

Consideration should also be given to combined parking for all retail units and not 

separate parking areas for each unit as currently exists. 


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3E Business Park 

4.107 The preferred location for a new business Park is west of the Pickaquoy Road 

adjacent to Ayre Mills Filling Station in the form of a series of office pavilions. 

The area would also extend up hatston brae incorporating a light industrial / 

office buildings set back from the road.This would in turn link with the industrial 

and business uses at hatston. 

4.108 New developments should address the Pickaquoy Road and hatston brae 

through the presentation of positive elevations (entrances and glazed active 

frontages where possible) to the street. New buildings along Pickaquoy Road 

should be located to the front of the site, establishing a street edge with car 

parking to the rear. buildings on hatson brae should be set back from the road 

with appropriate landscape and planting proposals incorporated in order to 

ensure a sympathetic outlook onto hatson brae. Car parking and vehicle access 

should be incporated from Garrison Road and / or Crowness Crescent 

bUSINESS / LIGhT INDUSTRY USE 

4.109 .Access and car parking with car parking to the front and appropriate landscape 

and planting proposals incorporated in order to ensure a sympathetic outlook 

onto hatson brae. 

4.110 There should be a common language of design in new buildings likely to be 

2 or 2 ½ storeys in height. buildings will be simple yet provide a high quality 

impression as a key gateway into the town. Opportunities to mark the corner of 

the site at the Glaitness and Ayre mills Road Roundabout should be addressed 

through detailed design. 

bUSINESS USE 

4.111 Pedestrian and cyclist access should be promoted and enhanced utilising the 

Peedie Sea Greenspace as a strategic corridor between the business park and 

the town centre. 

PEEDIE SEA 

Indicative layout Business and light Industry Use 


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4.112 The development proposed in Masterplan C is likely to significantly impact upon 

traffic levels in the west of Kirkwall, particularly on Pickaquoy Road.The triangle 

of junctions between Pickaquoy Rd,Ayre Road and Great Western Road are likely 

to see an increase in traffic, which may compound capacity issues at peak times 

and would require improvements to road infrastructure including key junctions. 

4.113 The provision of good walking and cycling links to Kirkwall Town Centre is likely 

to mitigate the number of car based trips to the potential supermarket, arts 

centre and other residential/business and retail developments. 

4.114 Pickaquoy Road, Great Western Road and Junction Road are currently served by 

scheduled bus services, which could serve all potential developments. 

Development Zone 4 - Kirkwall West 

4.115 The town could develop beyond its current urban edge most substantially to the 

west.The development would include predominantly housing and the potential 

site for a new strategic health facility. The area would also incorporate a 

strategic ‘green wedge’ based on existing planting at muddiesdale burn and playing 

fields of the Pickaquoy Centre. Opportunities to incorporate a shared / district 

heating system for this large development area should be fully investigated. In 

particular opportunities to combine the energy requirements of the mixed use 

elements of this area – the swimming pool, hospital and housing land uses should 

be explored. 

4.116 The main opportunities for Development Zone 4 include: 

• To provide strategic green wedge between development sites, linking the 

countryside to the Peedie Sea at muddiesdale; 

• Improve pedestrian and cyclist linkages to the town centre; 

• Define a urban edge of the town on the west side though development 

and landscape framework; 

• Provide a potential new location for a hospital; 

• To provide an interactive link between the hospital and Pickaquoy 

Centre (health and fitness links); 

• To provide potential area for future housing development. 


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4.117 The location of new housing, an hospital and business facilities on the west 

side of town responds to many of the Strategic objectives as outlined in the 

previous chapter:To ‘centre’ the community on the heart of Kirkwall; to 

reinforce Kirkwall’s Distinctiveness through New Development;To Ensure New 

Development responds to Landscape Setting and Capacity; and to Redefine 

the fragmented urban edge through New Development. flood risk in this area 

would need to be examined and it is likely that a green buffer zone would be 

required adjacent to muddisdale burn. 


4.118 Development Zone 4 contains Scheduled Ancient monument Pickaquoy burnt 

mound and settlement. Development within the scheduled area would require 

scheduled monument consent. In identifying the SAm within Development Zone 

4 the Council is not supporting the principle of developing within the scheduled 

area and proposals for the surrounding area will require demonstrating that 

they preserve the setting of the SAm. historic Scotland should be consulted at 

an early stage of the development process for Zone 4 on these issues. 

4.119 It is expected that development zone 4 will be developed in phases. It is 

important that a detailed masterplan is developed to coordinate the phased 

development of the whole area. Planning applications must therefore be 

accompanied by a masterplan which demonstrates how each phase of 

development will be linked to later phases.This should include consideration 

of an integrated, long term plan for road and pedestrian/cycle link networks, 

open spaces, access and landscaping issues across the whole of development 

zone 4.The level of detail included in the masterplan at the early phases of 

development is likely to be relatively limited in terms of the later stages of the 

development. however, it is important that the early phases of the development 

take into account the wider development area, and establish the broad 

direction for each of the above issues for the later phases of development.The 

masterplan should be updated as the phases of development progress. 

4.120 A Traffic Impact Assessment will be required to assess the potential 

implications of the development of this area, including implications of combined 

development of neighbouring sites at Ayre mills and the business development 

at hatston brae.The assessment must take into account the phasing of the 

full extent of development in this area so that appropriate measures are put 

in place (if necessary) at the early phases to account for future stages of 

development.This could include a requirement for a financial bond for the first 

phases of development to contribute to future upgrades which may be required. 




N 

Map Scale 1:25,000 @ A4

Kirkwall Urban Design Framework Part 3 - Orkney Islands Council

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