Key facts
| Council area | Rutland |
| Population | 12,160 (Oakham built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Oakham Enterprise Park; Ashwell Business Units; The King Centre |
| 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 Oakham
- Oakham Enterprise Park: A 25 acre secure business park owned by Rutland County Council with over 100 storage, office and industrial units from 60 to 12,000 sq ft, for office, light and general industrial and storage use.
- Ashwell Business Units: Council owned workshop and office units in two buildings about 1.5 miles north of Oakham, with links to the A1, Stamford, Peterborough and Melton Mowbray.
- The King Centre: About 32 serviced office units totalling roughly 12,000 sq ft at Barleythorpe, just off the Oakham bypass, aimed mainly at technology and research companies.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Independent education (Oakham School): Oakham School, founded in 1584, is a co-educational boarding and day school for students aged 11 to 18 on Chapel Close in the town.
- Defence (Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore): Kendrew Barracks on the former RAF Cottesmore site, a few miles from Oakham, is being expanded: Bovis Construction won Defence Estate Optimisation work in October 2025, with construction due to start in autumn 2026 as units move in from other 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
Oakham is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands 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 Oakham
Oakham follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Rutland 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 Oakham conservation area covers about 61 hectares and holds 115 listed buildings, five of them Grade I including Oakham Castle, the Market Cross and All Saints' Church, 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 Oakham 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 Oakham 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 Rutland
At the end of 2025, Rutland had 1,859 solar PV installations with 26.2 MW of capacity, up 22% since 2020, according to government figures. The Rutland page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Melton Mowbray, about 9 miles away
- Stamford, about 11 miles away
- Corby, about 12 miles away
- Market Harborough, about 16 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- rutland.gov.uk: business accommodation let
- oakham.rutland.sch.uk
- placemidlands.co.uk: bovis construction lands 237m of east midlands army
- lincsonline.co.uk: barracks set for 61m upgrade as other army
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: maps of uk freeports
- gov.uk: maps of east midlands freeport tax sites
- assets.publishing.service.gov.uk: Investment Zones Pack Dec 2025
- heritagecheck.co.uk: oakham
- 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 Oakham?
National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands 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 Oakham?
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 Oakham 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
- Rutland1,859 installations, 26.2 MW of solar and about 1,024 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- East MidlandsNGED connections, Golden Triangle logistics, Lincolnshire farming and food processing, Derby manufacturing and the Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy.
- 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.