Key facts
| Council area | North Yorkshire |
| Population | 15,050 (Skipton built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Snaygill Industrial Estate; Land east of the A629, south of Sandylands; Skipton Auction Mart, Gargrave Road |
| Indicative yield | About 901 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Skipton
- Snaygill Industrial Estate: An established industrial estate off Keighley Road. The council's 2022 schedule of employment sites lists land at J N Bentley Ltd on the estate, west of Keighley Road, as an existing employment area where business, industrial and storage uses are acceptable.
- Land east of the A629, south of Sandylands: A 23.5 hectare site west of Carleton Road, partly an existing employment area and partly allocated for business, industrial and storage uses in the Craven Local Plan.
- Skipton Auction Mart, Gargrave Road: Craven Cattle Marts' site on the outskirts of the town, built in 1989 and redeveloped between 2002 and 2007, where the livestock market sits at the heart of a business park with land agents, vets, machinery dealers and farm suppliers. Land between the mart and the canal is allocated for employment use.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Financial services (Skipton Building Society): Skipton Building Society, founded in 1853, has its head office at The Bailey in Skipton, where its Skipton Business Finance arm, providing invoice finance to small and medium firms, is also based.
- Livestock trading (Craven Cattle Marts): Craven Cattle Marts says its Skipton market sells 275,000 sheep and 20,000 cattle a year and has been one of the leading centres for working sheepdog sales since 1996.
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
Skipton is served by Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire 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 Skipton
Skipton 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:
- Skipton has conservation areas covered by the council's 2008 appraisal, with boundaries changed since. The council says conservation areas have different planning rules, with permission needed for some small proposals that would otherwise be permitted development, so roofs in and near the historic 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 Skipton could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 901 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 90,100 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,137 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,352 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,488 |
| Simple payback | About 5.5 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 Skipton 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
- Keighley, about 8 miles away
- Nelson, about 12 miles away
- Burnley, about 15 miles away
- Clitheroe, about 16 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- northyorks.gov.uk: Appendix C Schedule of deliverable and developable employment
- ccmauctions.com: about
- skipton.co.uk: annual reports and accounts 2025
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- northyorks.gov.uk: conservation areas
- planning.data.gov.uk
- 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 Skipton?
Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire 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 Skipton?
About 90,100 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 £16,488 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Skipton 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.