Key facts
| Council area | Wealden |
| Population | 22,550 (Hailsham built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | UK Power Networks (South Eastern Power Networks licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Diplocks Way Industrial Estate; Station Road Industrial Estate; Swallow Enterprise Park, Lower Dicker |
| Indicative yield | About 1,160 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Hailsham
- Diplocks Way Industrial Estate: Wealden District Council lists the Diplocks Way business area as 24 hectares and one of the largest industrial estates in the district, with 199 units in a mix of buildings from the 1960s on Diplocks Way and Apex Way, about half a mile south west of the town centre between the A22 and South Road.
- Station Road Industrial Estate: An estate of 52 units in buildings dating from the 1960s, about half a mile south east of the town centre and within 1.5 miles of the A22. The council says the majority of Hailsham's business activity is contained in Station Road.
- Swallow Enterprise Park, Lower Dicker: Westcott Leach's park off the A22 at Golden Cross, 1.5 miles west of Hailsham, will total 304,000 sq ft when complete, with units of 1,575 to 35,000 sq ft. J2 Aerospace took a 12,261 sq ft unit in 2023 and EMED Group a 21,280 sq ft warehouse on a 10 year lease in 2025.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Rope making (Marlow Ropes): Marlow Ropes, a privately owned British maker of specialist synthetic fibre ropes and assemblies, has its factory in Hailsham and supplies defence, leisure marine, tree work, working at height and industrial users, with distribution around the world.
- Livestock market (South East Marts): In 2023 the NFU said Hailsham was the only remaining livestock market in East and West Sussex, and backed South East Marts' plan to move it from the town centre to a new site off the A22 at the Diplocks Way roundabout.
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
Hailsham is served by UK Power Networks (South Eastern Power Networks 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 Hailsham
Hailsham follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Wealden 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:
- Hailsham Conservation Area covers about 12.4 hectares of the town centre and holds 32 listed buildings, one of them Grade I and two Grade II*, 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 Hailsham could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,160 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 116,000 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £19,488 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,740 earned |
| Total a year | About £21,228 |
| Simple payback | About 4.2 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 Hailsham 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 Wealden
At the end of 2025, Wealden had 7,606 solar PV installations with 100.3 MW of capacity, up 29% since 2020, according to government figures. The Wealden page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Seaford, about 9 miles away
- Bexhill-on-Sea, about 9 miles away
- Tonbridge, about 23 miles away
- Crawley, about 26 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- wealden.gov.uk: diplocks way industrial estate
- wealden.gov.uk: station road industrial estate hailsham
- commercialnewsmedia.com
- marlowropes.com
- nfuonline.com: hailsham market east sussex redevelopment vital
- heritagecheck.co.uk: hailsham
- commercialnewsmedia.com
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- 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 Hailsham?
UK Power Networks (South Eastern Power Networks 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 Hailsham?
About 116,000 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 £21,228 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Hailsham 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
- Wealden7,606 installations, 100.3 MW of solar and about 1,109 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- South EastTwo network operators, strong south coast yields, Kent horticulture, Thames Valley offices and Solent logistics, and the clean air zones that affect fleets.
- 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.