Key facts
| Council area | Chorley |
| Population | 39,535 (Chorley built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | Electricity North West (North West licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Botany Bay; Moorland Gate Business Park; Chorley North Industrial Park; Strawberry Meadows Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 881 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Chorley
- Botany Bay: A 21 acre business park directly on the M61 that Chorley Council says is creating over 400,000 sq ft of industrial and warehouse space to rent, with units from 1,300 sq ft.
- Moorland Gate Business Park: Commercial site next to the M61 south east of the town centre, with 18 units totalling about 134,200 sq ft on an 11 acre site.
- Chorley North Industrial Park: Established park of industrial and storage units next to junction 8 of the M61; racking and shelving firm Brysdales operates from a 42,000 sq ft facility there.
- Strawberry Meadows Business Park: Brand new business and light industrial park let by Chorley Council on Euxton Lane, next to the Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, with units from about 500 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Personal care manufacturing (Group55): Group55 moved from Buckshaw Village and Leyland into a 135,000 sq ft facility at Ackhurst Park in Chorley, the former Halewood Distillery; it employs 140 people and is Chorley's first B Corp certified business.
- Logistics and storage: Lancashire Business View reported in August 2026 that transport, logistics and storage employs 1,875 people in Chorley, up 50% since 2015, and that Brysdales on Chorley North Industrial Park had grown from 45 staff in 2024 to 69.
- Tiling and flooring products (Kelmore): Kelmore has been based at Strawberry Fields since it was founded in 2020, has a team of almost 70, and reported revenues up 37% in 2026 so far.
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
Chorley 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 Chorley
Chorley follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Chorley 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:
- In July 2026 Chorley Council appointed LUC to prepare appraisals, management plans and boundary reviews for the borough's nine conservation areas, so boundaries may change; check whether a building is inside one 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 Chorley could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 881 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 88,100 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,801 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,322 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,122 |
| 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 Chorley 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 Chorley
At the end of 2025, Chorley had 4,638 solar PV installations with 16.9 MW of capacity, up 103% since 2020, according to government figures. The Chorley page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Wigan, about 7 miles away
- Preston, about 8 miles away
- Blackburn, about 9 miles away
- Skelmersdale, about 9 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- chorley.gov.uk: Business sites premises and property
- chorley.gov.uk
- chorley.gov.uk
- chorley.gov.uk
- chorley.gov.uk
- lancashirebusinessview.co.uk: transport links fuel chorleys growth
- lancashirebusinessview.co.uk: 50 jobs to be created as group55 announces
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- investinlancashire.com: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- gov.uk: maps of uk freeports
- landuse.co.uk: luc appointed to review chorleys conservation area
- en.wikipedia.org: Chorley
- 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 Chorley?
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 Chorley?
About 88,100 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 £16,122 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Chorley 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
- Chorley4,638 installations, 16.9 MW of solar and about 880 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.