Key facts
| Council area | East Lindsey |
| Population | 20,700 (Skegness built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Skegness Industrial Estate (Hassall Road and Holly Road); Skegness Business Park (Lincolnshire Co-op units) |
| Indicative yield | About 1,014 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Skegness
- Skegness Industrial Estate (Hassall Road and Holly Road): The town's established industrial estate off the A52 west of Skegness. A £2.4m Lincolnshire County Council extension, part funded by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, built a new road joining the Hassall Road and Holly Road parts of the estate, due to provide about 12 acres of newly serviced land when completed in 2021.
- Skegness Business Park (Lincolnshire Co-op units): Five industrial units in a secure, gated site on the established estate near the A52 Wainfleet Road, from about 1,495 to 2,002 sq ft, for business or storage and distribution use.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Visitor economy: East Lindsey District Council reports that tourism generated a record £994.48 million for the district in 2025 and supported 6,814 jobs, with the coast accounting for £751.89 million and 2.94 million visitors.
- Holiday resorts (Butlin's Skegness): Butlin's, whose Skegness resort dates from 1936, put £10 million into it in 2023, adding a permanent conference venue, four new rides and its first SKYPARK playground, with about 30 new jobs.
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
Skegness 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 Skegness
Skegness follows the national planning rules for England, decided by East Lindsey 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:
- Lincolnshire County Council's 2021 urban survey notes that the Skegness Esplanade and Tower Gardens are a Grade II registered historic park and garden and that the Jubilee Clock Tower (1898) and the Ship Hotel are Grade II listed, so roofs on and near the seafront need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Skegness could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,014 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 101,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £17,035 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,521 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,556 |
| 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 Skegness 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 East Lindsey
At the end of 2025, East Lindsey had 8,026 solar PV installations with 177.9 MW of capacity, up 105% since 2020, according to government figures. The East Lindsey page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Boston, about 19 miles away
- Louth, about 21 miles away
- King's Lynn, about 27 miles away
- Spalding, about 32 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- lincolnshire.gov.uk: skegness industrial estate expansion to start next month
- lincolnshire.gov.uk: business park road completion as spring sale looks
- lincolnshire.coop: skegness
- e-lindsey.gov.uk: East Lindsey tourism delivers record 994m economic impact
- butlins.com: butlin s invests 10 million into its skegness
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- gov.uk: maps of humber freeport tax sites
- heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk: skegnesseusreport compressed
- heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk: DLI13783
- 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 Skegness?
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 Skegness?
About 101,400 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 £18,556 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Skegness 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
- East Lindsey8,026 installations, 177.9 MW of solar and about 1,028 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.