Key facts
| Council area | Cheshire East |
| Population | 74,120 (Crewe built-up area, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb) |
| Main employment areas | Crewe Business Park; Crewe Gates Industrial Estate; Basford West (Crewe Commercial Park); Basford East (WestonM6) |
| Indicative yield | About 943 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Crewe
- Crewe Business Park: A 67 acre park of offices, research and IT manufacturing; occupiers have included Air Products, Barclays and Fujitsu.
- Crewe Gates Industrial Estate: A 12 acre industrial estate next to the business park, part of a cluster with Crewe Green Business Park and the Weston Road industrial area; ice cream van maker Whitby Morrison is based here.
- Basford West (Crewe Commercial Park): Strategic employment land south of Crewe beside the West Coast Main Line, with outline permission for more than 1m sq ft of mainly industrial, storage and distribution space.
- Basford East (WestonM6): Muse's new business park on the Basford East allocation, approved in 2024, with about 785,000 sq ft across three employment units.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Luxury car manufacturing (Bentley Motors): Bentley's Pyms Lane headquarters and factory employ around 4,000 people and carry about 10 MW of solar across a car park and ten roofs.
- Rail engineering (Alstom Crewe Works): Alstom's Crewe Works overhauls bogies, wheels and traction motors and opened a new overhaul facility in late 2025.
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
Crewe is served by SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb). 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 Crewe
Crewe follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Cheshire East 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:
- Crewe has no Green Belt, but Cheshire East's Strategic Green Gaps keep open land between Crewe and Nantwich, Willaston, Shavington, Basford, Weston and Haslington, limiting development there.
Our guides on green belt explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Crewe could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 943 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 94,300 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,842 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,415 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,257 |
| Simple payback | About 5.2 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 Crewe 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 Cheshire East
At the end of 2025, Cheshire East had 11,685 solar PV installations with 85.2 MW of capacity, up 65% since 2020, according to government figures. The Cheshire East page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Chester, about 20 miles away
- Deeside, about 25 miles away
- Shrewsbury, about 30 miles away
- Birkenhead, about 31 miles away
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: Crewe
- en.wikipedia.org: List of ONS built up areas in England
- cheshireeast.gov.uk: eg 3
- cheshireeast.gov.uk: basford employment areas
- cheshireeast.gov.uk: lps 2
- placenorthwest.co.uk: muse reveals major crewe plans
- bentleymedia.com
- supplychaindigital.com: bentley motors driving smart supply
- alstom.com: multi million pound investment state art train component
- scottishpower.com: sp energy networks invests 3 million to renew
- cheshireeast.gov.uk: pg 5
- [moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk: Appendix A The Growth Grant Programme Scheme Policy](https://moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk/documents/s126367/Appendix A - The Growth Grant Programme Scheme Policy 2025 002.pdf)
- 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 Crewe?
SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb). 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 Crewe?
About 94,300 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 £17,257 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Crewe 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
- Cheshire East11,685 installations, 85.2 MW of solar and about 909 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.