Key facts
| Council area | Arun |
| Population | 68,435 (Bognor Regis built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Saltbox Business Park (Trade City and Logistics City); Panattoni Park Bognor Regis; Enterprise Bognor Regis |
| Indicative yield | About 1,137 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Bognor Regis
- Saltbox Business Park (Trade City and Logistics City): On Shripney Road at the gateway to Enterprise Bognor Regis, where building started in 2025 on 204,993 sq ft of industrial, logistics and trade counter space in eight Trade City and three Logistics City units.
- Panattoni Park Bognor Regis: Three speculative industrial and logistics units totalling 205,000 sq ft beside the A29 on Newlands Road, marketed as available in the second quarter of 2027.
- Enterprise Bognor Regis: A 70 hectare employment area on the northern edge of the town, which a 2015 brochure said could house 150 businesses and 4,000 jobs across four sites.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Holiday resort (Butlin's): Butlin's Bognor Regis resort, one of the company's three UK resorts, has three hotels and borders the South Downs National Park.
- Higher education (University of Chichester Tech Park): The University of Chichester's Tech Park on its Bognor Regis campus brings together its science, technology and engineering courses; it was built with £8m of government funding and was planned to open in 2018.
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
Bognor Regis is served by SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution 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 Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Arun 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:
- Bognor Regis has several conservation areas, including The Steyne and Waterloo Square with 19 listed buildings, Upper Bognor Road and Mead Lane, and Aldwick Road, so check whether an older central building is inside one before adding roof panels.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Bognor Regis could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,137 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 113,700 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £19,102 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,706 earned |
| Total a year | About £20,807 |
| Simple payback | About 4.3 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 Bognor Regis 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 Arun
At the end of 2025, Arun had 5,345 solar PV installations with 76.4 MW of capacity, up 22% since 2020, according to government figures. The Arun page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Horsham, about 25 miles away
- Crawley, about 31 miles away
- Aldershot, about 32 miles away
- Seaford, about 34 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- commercialnewsmedia.com
- panattoni.co.uk: Panattoni Park Bognor Regis Brochure
- bognorregis.gov.uk: Enterprise Bognor Regis brochure A4 Landscape FINAL
- butlins.com: bognor regis
- chi.ac.uk: techpark
- themanufacturer.com: bognors new engineering digital technology park
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- solentfreeport.com
- heritagecheck.co.uk: bognor regis the steyne and waterloo square
- heritagecheck.co.uk: bognor regis upper bognor road and mead lane
- heritagecheck.co.uk: bognor regis aldwick road
- 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 Bognor Regis?
SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution 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 Bognor Regis?
About 113,700 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 £20,807 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Bognor Regis 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
- Arun5,345 installations, 76.4 MW of solar and about 1,155 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- South EastTwo network operators, strong south coast yields, Kent horticulture, Thames Valley offices and Solent logistics, and the clean air zones that affect fleets.
- 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.