Key facts
| Council area | Pendle |
| Population | 33,805 (Nelson (Pendle) 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 | Lomeshaye Industrial Estate; Northlight (Brierfield Mill) |
| Indicative yield | About 866 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Nelson
- Lomeshaye Industrial Estate: A 40 hectare estate where, in 2019, Pendle Council said around 100 businesses and about 4,000 people were based. Its final phase, a 100,000 sq ft building by PEARL2 (Barnfield and Pendle Council), won £6.2m from the Lancashire Urban Development Fund in January 2024.
- Northlight (Brierfield Mill): The Grade II listed Brierfield Mill on the edge of Nelson, completed in February 2024 as a £32 million mixed use scheme with 103,000 sq ft of office and industrial workspace and 25,000 sq ft of business storage, alongside apartments, education and leisure.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Food manufacturing (Farmhouse Biscuits): Farmhouse Biscuits, founded in 1962 and in Nelson since 1978, bakes from a 200,000 sq ft facility at The Bakery, Brook Street, and employs up to 300 people.
- Online retail and warehousing (BestHeating): BestHeating, the designer radiator brand of Limitless Digital Group, opened a flagship warehouse of about 95,000 sq ft at Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in August 2024.
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
Nelson 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 Nelson
Nelson follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Pendle 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:
- Nelson has five conservation areas: Lomeshaye Hamlet (1994), Scholefield and Coldweather (1999), Edge End (2002), Southfield (2003) and Whitefield (2004), and Brierfield Mills (2006) covers the Northlight site, so 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 Nelson could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 866 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 86,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,549 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,299 earned |
| Total a year | About £15,848 |
| Simple payback | About 5.7 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 Nelson 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 Pendle
At the end of 2025, Pendle had 2,186 solar PV installations with 10.2 MW of capacity, up 146% since 2020, according to government figures. The Pendle page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Burnley, about 4 miles away
- Clitheroe, about 7 miles away
- Accrington, about 8 miles away
- Skipton, about 12 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- pendle.gov.uk: expansion for pendle jobs and businesses as lomeshaye
- lancashirebusinessview.co.uk: nelson development to go ahead with 6m funding
- pendle.gov.uk: official completion of northlight celebrated
- farmhouse-biscuits.co.uk: our story
- lancashirebusinessview.co.uk: radiator brand opens 95000 sq ft warehouse at
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- pendle.gov.uk
- 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 Nelson?
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 Nelson?
About 86,600 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 £15,848 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Nelson 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
- Pendle2,186 installations, 10.2 MW of solar and about 865 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.