Key facts
| Council area | Bury |
| Population | 81,095 (Bury built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | Electricity North West (North West licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Chamberhall Business Park; Pilsworth Industrial Estate; Warth Industrial Park |
| Indicative yield | About 880 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Bury
- Chamberhall Business Park: Business park north west of the town centre off the A56 Peel Way. A January 2026 council report says St Modwen's first phase of more than 120,000 sq ft across 14 light industrial units is fully let, with buildings for LGC, a Greater Manchester fire station, Bury's police divisional headquarters and an MKM depot.
- Pilsworth Industrial Estate: An employment area where the council's April 2025 land statement lists 4,389 square metres of permitted floorspace at Gateway House on Pilsworth Road and the former Christian Salvesen site on Hollins Brook Way.
- Warth Industrial Park: Industrial estate on Warth Road with planning permission for 57,158 square metres, the largest entry in the council's April 2025 land statement. Crown Oil Estates bought it in 2024, about 280,000 sq ft on a 14 acre site.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Fuel distribution (Crown Oil): Crown Oil's headquarters, the Oil Centre at Heap Bridge, Bury, completed in 1990, serves nationwide deliveries of diesel, HVO, heating oil and lubricants.
- Healthcare (Fairfield General Hospital): Fairfield General Hospital in Bury is one of four hospitals run by the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, whose around 20,000 staff serve over a million people across Salford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.
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
Bury is served by Electricity North West (North West 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 Bury
Bury follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Bury 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:
- Bury Town Centre Conservation Area was designated in 1978 and extended to the west in September 2005; it covers the historic core around the Market Place, Silver Street and The Rock, so check whether a building is inside it before planning roof panels.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Bury could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 880 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 88,000 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,784 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,320 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,104 |
| Simple payback | About 5.6 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 Bury 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 Bury
At the end of 2025, Bury had 2,684 solar PV installations with 13.1 MW of capacity, up 118% since 2020, according to government figures. The Bury page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Bolton, about 6 miles away
- Rochdale, about 6 miles away
- Oldham, about 8 miles away
- Leigh, about 11 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- councildecisions.bury.gov.uk: DRAFT Cabinet report Chamberhall Jan 2026 with Extrernal
- bury.gov.uk: bury employment land availability statement 2025
- placenorthwest.co.uk
- crownoil.co.uk: about us
- northerncarealliance.nhs.uk: about us
- placenorthwest.co.uk: gmca firms up locations for special tax status
- assets.publishing.service.gov.uk: Investment Zones Pack Dec 2025
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: maps of uk freeports
- bury.gov.uk: bury conservation area appraisal
- 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 Bury?
Electricity North West (North West 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 Bury?
About 88,000 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 £16,104 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Bury 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
- Bury2,684 installations, 13.1 MW of solar and about 885 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North WestTwo network operators, realistic northern yields, Trafford Park, the Port of Liverpool, Cheshire chemicals and Cumbrian farming, and Greater Manchester's non-charging clean air plan.
- 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.