Key facts
| Council area | Ards and North Down |
| Population | 29,591 (Newtownards settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Jubilee Road (Ards Business Hub); Comber Road development land |
| Indicative yield | About 919 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Newtownards
- Jubilee Road (Ards Business Hub): Ards Business Hub, supporting businesses in Ards and North Down since 1988, offers units and offices across three business sites on Jubilee Road: Sketrick House, Strangford Park and Nendrum Park.
- Comber Road development land: Ards and North Down Borough Council is seeking a developer for about 11 acres of development-ready, employment-zoned land on Comber Road for a business or industrial park, on a long leasehold.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Dairy processing (Lakeland Dairies): Lakeland Dairies' Newtownards site employs over 270 people and produces over 140,000 tonnes of dairy products a year, with a carbon-neutral combined heat and power plant and a logistics centre dispatching 30 shipping containers a day.
- Small business and start-ups: Ards Business Hub has supported businesses in Ards and North Down since 1988, offering business advice, flexible workspace and meeting facilities from its Jubilee Road sites.
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
Newtownards is served by NIE Networks, which runs the network across Northern Ireland. Systems connect under the G98/NI and G99/NI process, and there is no Smart Export Guarantee in Northern Ireland, so sizing the system to the power you use on site matters even more. See G99 and DNO applications.
Planning in Newtownards
Planning in Newtownards is decided by Ards and North Down council. Rooftop solar on many non-domestic buildings can go ahead without an application within the Northern Ireland limits; listed buildings need consent.
Points that come up locally:
- The Ards and Down Area Plan 2015 designated Areas of Townscape Character including one in Newtownards, which remain in force pending a council review, so check whether a building is inside one before planning roof panels in the centre.
Our planning permission guide sets out the rules.
What a business roof in Newtownards could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 919 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 91,900 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,439 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,379 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,818 |
| Simple payback | About 5.4 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
- NISEP Commercial Energy Saving Scheme (2026/27): A Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme grant of 20% for commercial and non-domestic properties anywhere in Northern Ireland, with the applicant paying 80%. Measures include solar PV (grant capped at £30,000), boiler replacement, intelligent heating controls and lighting. Applications go to Power NI. The list of schemes covers April 2026 to March 2027. Check the scheme's own page for eligibility and closing dates.
National reliefs apply too: see grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland.
Solar across Ards and North Down
At the end of 2025, Ards and North Down had 3,056 solar PV installations with 22.2 MW of capacity, up 248% since 2020, according to government figures. The Ards and North Down page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Bangor, about 5 miles away
- Carrickfergus, about 9 miles away
- Lisburn, about 15 miles away
- Downpatrick, about 18 miles away
Sources
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 person and household estimates for settlements
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 commissioned table ct0046.xlsx
- ardsbusiness.com
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: ards business centre
- okt.co.uk: brochure comber road newtownards
- agriland.co.uk: lakeland dairies open day showcases investment in newtownards
- economy-ni.gov.uk: northern ireland enhanced investment zone
- nienetworks.co.uk
- ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk: Areas of Townscape Character
- infrastructure-ni.gov.uk: conservation area guides z list
- uregni.gov.uk: NISEP List of Schemes 2026 27 updated
- 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 Newtownards?
NIE Networks. 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 Newtownards?
About 91,900 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 £16,818 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Newtownards 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
- Ards and North Down3,056 installations, 22.2 MW of solar and about 949 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- Northern IrelandNIE Networks and the G98/NI and G99/NI process, no Smart Export Guarantee, council-led planning, and the agri-food and manufacturing buildings that suit solar.
- 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.
- Northern IrelandCurrent solar support in Northern Ireland for businesses, community groups, public bodies and farms, plus export, rates, planning and official contacts.
- 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.