Key facts
| Council area | Shropshire |
| Population | 17,510 (Oswestry built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North Wales licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Maesbury Road Industrial Estate; Oswestry Innovation Park |
| Indicative yield | About 966 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Oswestry
- Maesbury Road Industrial Estate: One of the town's two main employment areas, with Artillery Business Park, according to the council's 2022 draft Future Oswestry Plan, which proposed new workspace and better streets for the Maesbury Road area. In September 2024 council planners recommended approval of a 2 MWp ground mounted solar farm on a former refuse tip at Glovers Meadow in the estate.
- Oswestry Innovation Park: A council-led employment site at the A5/A483 gateway to the town, 18.7 hectares with ten plots for office and light industrial buildings and expected to bring over 1,000 jobs. The council says its infrastructure contract for roads and utilities has started on site.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Dairy (Arla Foods): The 2 MWp solar farm that Shropshire Council planners recommended for approval in September 2024 on the Maesbury Road Industrial Estate is designed to supply Arla Foods, with any surplus exported to the national grid.
- Fire and carbon monoxide alarms (Aico): Aico, part of Ei Electronics, has its headquarters on Maesbury Road and describes itself as the European market leader in home life safety, supplying fire, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Orthopaedic healthcare (RJAH): The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Gobowen, north east of the town, provides planned orthopaedic surgery and is called a significant employer in the council's 2022 draft Future Oswestry Plan; its Veterans' Centre opened in April 2023.
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
Oswestry is served by SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North Wales 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 Oswestry
Oswestry follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Shropshire 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 Oswestry Conservation Area covers about 42 hectares and holds 125 listed buildings, including the Grade I Llwyd Mansion on Cross Street, 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 Oswestry could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 966 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 96,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £16,229 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,449 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,678 |
| Simple payback | About 5.1 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 Oswestry 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 Shropshire
At the end of 2025, Shropshire had 13,563 solar PV installations with 317.0 MW of capacity, up 46% since 2020, according to government figures. The Shropshire page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Wrexham, about 13 miles away
- Shrewsbury, about 16 miles away
- Mold, about 21 miles away
- Deeside, about 24 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- shropshire.gov.uk: future oswestry plan consultation 08022022
- next.shropshire.gov.uk: oswestry innovation park
- shropshire.gov.uk: Glovers Meadow Maesbury Road 24.02237.FUL update
- aico.co.uk: about us
- en.wikipedia.org: Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
- heritagecheck.co.uk: oswestry
- 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 Oswestry?
SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North Wales 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 Oswestry?
About 96,600 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 £17,678 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Oswestry 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
- Shropshire13,563 installations, 317.0 MW of solar and about 968 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- West MidlandsNGED connections, the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, automotive and metals manufacturing, M6 and M42 logistics, and fruit and hop farming in the west.
- 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.