Key facts
| Council area | North Yorkshire |
| Population | 13,310 (Northallerton built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (North East licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Standard Way Business Park; Leeming Bar Business Park; Darlington Road employment site |
| Indicative yield | About 929 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Northallerton
- Standard Way Business Park: Business park in Northallerton where North Yorkshire Council's eight self-contained light industrial units at Binks Close, of 100 to 300 square metres, were all let by May 2025.
- Leeming Bar Business Park: Home to the council's Leeming Bar Food Enterprise Centre, with 11 self-contained food grade units and an office suite of about 112 to 300 square metres.
- Darlington Road employment site: In 2022 Hambleton councillors approved Beckwith Knowle Developments' scheme on the town's only designated employment site, off Darlington Road, with about 190,000 sq ft of industrial units plus trade counters and offices; the developer expected 715 to 782 jobs.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Healthcare (Friarage Hospital): South Tees Hospitals officially opened a £35.5 million surgical centre at the Friarage in July 2025, with six new operating theatres and two minor theatres, expected to carry out around 10,000 operations a year.
- Local government (North Yorkshire Council): North Yorkshire Council, a unitary authority since 1 April 2023, is based at County Hall in Northallerton.
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
Northallerton is served by Northern Powergrid (North East 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 Northallerton
Northallerton follows the national planning rules for England, decided by North Yorkshire 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 Northallerton Conservation Area covers about 36.5 hectares and holds 64 listed buildings, including the Grade I Church of All Saints and the Grade II* County Hall, so roofs in the town 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 Northallerton could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 929 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 92,900 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,607 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,394 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,001 |
| Simple payback | About 5.3 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 Northallerton 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 North Yorkshire
At the end of 2025, North Yorkshire had 25,856 solar PV installations with 339.9 MW of capacity, up 110% since 2020, according to government figures. The North Yorkshire page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Darlington, about 14 miles away
- Ripon, about 14 miles away
- Thornaby-on-Tees, about 15 miles away
- Stockton-on-Tees, about 16 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- northyorks.gov.uk: hambleton area industrial units
- hambletontoday.co.uk
- southtees.nhs.uk: friarage celebrates official opening of 35 5m surgical
- en.wikipedia.org: North Yorkshire Council
- heritagecheck.co.uk: northallerton
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- gov.uk: maps of uk freeports
- 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 Northallerton?
Northern Powergrid (North East 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 Northallerton?
About 92,900 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 £17,001 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Northallerton 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
- North Yorkshire25,856 installations, 339.9 MW of solar and about 948 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- Yorkshire and the HumberNorthern Powergrid connections, Sheffield and Bradford clean air zones, Humber ports and industry, M62 and M1 logistics, and East Riding arable farming.
- 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.