Key facts
| Council area | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole |
| Population | 196,455 (Bournemouth built-up area, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | SSEN, Southern Electric Power Distribution |
| Main employment areas | Aviation Business Park, Bournemouth Airport (Hurn); West Howe Industrial Estate, Elliott Road; Wessex Fields |
| Indicative yield | About 1,111 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Bournemouth
- Aviation Business Park, Bournemouth Airport (Hurn): Dorset's largest employment site, about five miles north of Bournemouth, with more than 200 businesses on around 200 acres and a focus on aerospace and manufacturing.
- West Howe Industrial Estate, Elliott Road: Established 1980s industrial and warehouse units off the A348 Ringwood Road; occupiers include Screwfix and Royal Mail.
- Wessex Fields: Employment and development land off Castle Lane East by Royal Bournemouth Hospital, opened up by the A338 link road; the remainder was bought by University Hospitals Dorset in 2025 for health and research uses.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Financial services (JPMorganChase): JPMorganChase's Bournemouth campus has about 5,300 staff, making it Dorset's largest private sector employer, and in October 2025 it announced up to £350m to modernise and expand it.
- Insurance (LV=): LV= Life and Pensions lists its Bournemouth offices at Frizzell House and Victoria House, County Gates.
- Aerospace and aviation: The Aviation Business Park at Bournemouth Airport is a specialist aerospace and manufacturing hub; Gama Aviation moved its aircraft maintenance there.
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
Bournemouth is served by SSEN, Southern Electric Power Distribution. 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 Bournemouth
Bournemouth follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 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:
- Much of the countryside around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is South East Dorset Green Belt, first designated in 1980 and covering just over 30,000 hectares.
- Bournemouth Airport at Hurn objects to solar schemes it thinks could cause glint and glare; it removed objections to nearby solar farms only after a glare study and management plan.
- The Dorset Heathlands are a Special Protection Area and Ramsar site; development within 5km is screened for its effect on them.
Our guides on green belt, airports, glint and glare, bats, birds and ecology explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Bournemouth could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,111 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 111,100 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £18,665 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,667 earned |
| Total a year | About £20,331 |
| Simple payback | About 4.4 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 Bournemouth 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
At the end of 2025, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole had 11,114 solar PV installations with 139.7 MW of capacity, up 25% since 2020, according to government figures. The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Poole, about 4 miles away
- Salisbury, about 24 miles away
- Bridgwater, about 57 miles away
- Taunton, about 57 miles away
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: Bournemouth
- en.wikipedia.org: List of ONS built up areas in England
- dorsetlep.co.uk: Aviation Business Park
- thebusinessmagazine.co.uk: amp
- hellorayo.co.uk: wessex fields purchased by university hospitals dorset
- democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk: 20190930 Wessex Fields
- jpmorganchase.com: jpmc bournemouth investment
- jobs.lv.com: bournemouth
- ssen.co.uk: ssen energises bournemouths multi million pound network upgrade
- dorsetcouncil.gov.uk: strategic green belt review
- pagerpower.com: hale farm and woodtown farm solar pv developments
- dorsetcouncil.gov.uk: 21b7ddb2 a645 0b3d e07c 29db63932e06
- 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 Bournemouth?
SSEN, Southern Electric Power Distribution. 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 Bournemouth?
About 111,100 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 £20,331 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Bournemouth 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
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole11,114 installations, 139.7 MW of solar and about 1,116 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- South WestThe strongest yields in mainland Britain, a network with limited export capacity in places, Bristol and Bath clean air zones, dairy farming and Severnside logistics.
- 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.