Key facts
| Council area | Wyre |
| Population | 26,225 (Fleetwood 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 | Neptune Food and Fish Processing Park; Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone |
| Indicative yield | About 1,006 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Fleetwood
- Neptune Food and Fish Processing Park: A 42,000 sq ft fish processing building on Fleetwood Docks, handed over to Wyre Council in August 2022 after an £8 million investment, where about 200 people were employed full time by fish processing businesses in 2024.
- Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone: A 138 hectare former ICI industrial site at Thornton-Cleveleys, just south of Fleetwood, home to over 40 companies including Victrex, AGC Chemicals Europe and Vinnolit.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Seafood processing: Seafish reported in September 2024 that the Neptune park's processors employ about 200 people full time with about 300 more employed indirectly, and the Fleetwood Fish Merchants' Association called it the jewel in the crown of the seafood industry in northern England.
- Confectionery (Lofthouse of Fleetwood): Lofthouse of Fleetwood, maker of Fisherman's Friend, employs more than 300 people at its Maritime Street factory, and Wyre councillors approved plans for a new 36,364 square metre factory south of Windward Avenue in September 2023.
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
Fleetwood 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 Fleetwood
Fleetwood follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Wyre 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:
- The Fleetwood Conservation Area, designated in 1982, covers about 73.4 hectares of the planned town and holds 35 Grade II listed buildings, so roofs in the centre need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Fleetwood could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,006 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 100,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £16,901 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,509 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,410 |
| Simple payback | About 4.9 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 Fleetwood 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 Wyre
At the end of 2025, Wyre had 3,082 solar PV installations with 27.1 MW of capacity, up 47% since 2020, according to government figures. The Wyre page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Morecambe, about 12 miles away
- Lancaster, about 12 miles away
- Barrow-in-Furness, about 16 miles away
- Preston, about 17 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- wyre.gov.uk: fleetwoods food and fish processing park complete
- seafish.org: fleetwood processing park proves importance to industry figures
- investinlancashire.com: hillhouse
- coastalradiodab.co.uk: latest on delay hit new fishermans friend factory
- wyre.gov.uk
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- heritagecheck.co.uk: fleetwood
- 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 Fleetwood?
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 Fleetwood?
About 100,600 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 £18,410 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Fleetwood 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
- Wyre3,082 installations, 27.1 MW of solar and about 956 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.