Key facts
| Council area | East Riding of Yorkshire |
| Population | 30,930 (Beverley built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Grovehill Industrial Estate (Capital Park); Beverley Enterprise Centre, Grovehill Road |
| Indicative yield | About 995 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Beverley
- Grovehill Industrial Estate (Capital Park): Beverley's industrial estate on Annie Reed Road, where Brooklands Property Holdings built Capital Park, a £10m, 80,000 sq ft speculative scheme of hybrid units from 1,333 to 50,000 sq ft. Euro Car Parts took a ten year lease there.
- Beverley Enterprise Centre, Grovehill Road: A £4.8 million business centre part-funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, with 14 ground floor workshops and 17 first floor offices for small firms; construction started in 2021.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Financial services (Beverley Building Society): Founded in 1866, the society is based in Beverley with its only branch on Saturday Market, is the only independent building society in the East Riding and had total assets of £206 million at December 2023.
- Horseracing (Beverley Racecourse): The racecourse's 2027 programme runs from a season opener on 14 April to a season finale on 21 September, including the Beverley Bullet on 29 August, and the course also hosts Christmas party nights.
- Land-based education (Bishop Burton College): In 2022 the specialist land-based college near Beverley said it was set in 890 acres of mixed farmland and countryside, teaching subjects such as equine, animal and environmental studies.
Large, simple roofs on distribution sheds and modern industrial units are usually the quickest and cheapest to fit. Older mill, factory and workshop buildings can work well too, but often need a structural survey first, and roofs from before 2000 may contain asbestos cement: see asbestos roofs.
Grid connection
Beverley is served by Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire licence area). Almost every commercial system needs G99 approval from the network operator before it is switched on, and the question is usually how much the local network can take back. Where export is limited, a G100 export limitation scheme can let a larger array connect. See G99 and DNO applications.
Planning in Beverley
Beverley follows the national planning rules for England, decided by East Riding of Yorkshire council. Rooftop solar on most non-domestic buildings is permitted development, within height and edge limits, and systems above 50 kW need a prior approval application covering design and glare.
Points that come up locally:
- The Beverley Conservation Area, designated in 1969, covers about 109.6 hectares and holds 441 listed buildings, eight of them Grade I, including the North Bar, so roofs across the historic centre need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Beverley could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 995 kWh per kWp a year.
| Item | Illustrative figure |
|---|---|
| System | 100 kWp, south facing at 30 degrees |
| Installed cost | £900 per kWp, so £90,000 excluding VAT |
| Generation | About 99,500 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £16,716 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,493 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,209 |
| Simple payback | About 4.9 years before tax relief |
Illustrative, not a quote: the same sums as our commercial solar calculator. A company paying corporation tax can usually shorten the payback with capital allowances.
Funding and support
We found no council or regional grant for business solar open in Beverley at the time of writing (November 2026). National reliefs still apply, such as capital allowances and, in England, the business rates exemption for onsite renewables: see grants and reliefs in England.
Solar across East Riding of Yorkshire
At the end of 2025, East Riding of Yorkshire had 12,659 solar PV installations with 225.8 MW of capacity, up 261% since 2020, according to government figures. The East Riding of Yorkshire page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Bridlington, about 19 miles away
- Scunthorpe, about 19 miles away
- Goole, about 20 miles away
- Grimsby, about 24 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- pph-commercial.co.uk: 100 new jobs could be created as beverleys
- yorhub.com: beverley enterprise centre
- en.wikipedia.org: Beverley Building Society
- beverley-racecourse.co.uk
- bishopburton.ac.uk: leading the way for student achievement
- heritagecheck.co.uk: beverley
- beverleybs.co.uk: about us
- gov.uk: maps of humber freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- Yield: PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), SARAH3 data, 14% system losses, for the town centre, modelled 4 November 2026.
- Council area figures: DESNZ, renewable electricity by local authority 2014 to 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the electricity network operator in Beverley?
Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire licence area). Most commercial solar systems need its G99 approval before they are switched on. The operator follows the postcode, so confirm yours with the Energy Networks Association postcode tool.
How much would a 100 kWp solar system generate in Beverley?
About 99,500 kWh a year for a south-facing roof at 30 degrees, modelled with PVGIS for the town centre. At 70% used on site at 24p and the rest exported at 5p, that is worth about £18,209 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Beverley get a free solar survey?
Yes. Answer six short questions and we match the site with one MCS certified installer, who surveys it on site or by video call. It is free, with no obligation. Get a free survey.
Related pages
- East Riding of Yorkshire12,659 installations, 225.8 MW of solar and about 968 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- Yorkshire and the HumberNorthern Powergrid connections, Sheffield and Bradford clean air zones, Humber ports and industry, M62 and M1 logistics, and East Riding arable farming.
- Commercial solar calculatorEstimate commercial solar savings and payback, with the generation, price and cost assumptions shown and sourced, and the limits of a simple estimate explained.
- EnglandCurrent solar support in England for businesses, schools, public bodies, community groups and farms, plus rates, planning and who to contact.
- Planning permissionPermitted development for commercial rooftop solar and car park canopies in England, prior approval, heritage limits, ground-mounted schemes and the other UK nations.