Key facts
| Council area | St Helens |
| Population | 107,680 (St Helens (St. Helens) built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North Wales licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Watson Street Works (former Pilkington glassworks); Project Halo, St Helens Linkway |
| Enterprise or investment zone | Liverpool City Region Investment Zone (St Helens Manufacturing and Innovation Campus tax site) |
| Indicative yield | About 931 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in St Helens
- Watson Street Works (former Pilkington glassworks): About 30 acres of brownfield land on the southern edge of the town centre, where glass making stopped in February 2024; in March 2025 the council approved a masterplan with 764 homes and 150,000 sq ft of commercial space that keeps key heritage assets.
- Project Halo, St Helens Linkway: A 5 acre council owned site next to Glass Futures and the town centre, being brought forward with Network Space for up to 100,000 sq ft of life science labs, manufacturing and storage space within the Investment Zone tax site.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Glass manufacturing (Pilkington UK): In July 2025 NSG Group opened a new rolled glass line at Pilkington's Greengate Works in St Helens, part of a multi-million pound project backed by £3.7 million of government funding that moves all production onto one furnace and is expected to save 15,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.
- Glass research (Glass Futures): Glass Futures opened a £54m, 165,000 sq ft research centre next to the Totally Wicked Stadium in June 2023, aimed at decarbonising the glass industry, with an experimental furnace able to melt 30 tonnes of glass a day.
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.
Enterprise, investment and freeport zones
- Liverpool City Region Investment Zone (St Helens Manufacturing and Innovation Campus tax site): Designated with effect from 8 April 2024; the site's eastern part lies directly south of the St Helens RFC stadium and its western part south of the A58 Linkway West. Investment Zone tax reliefs, including five years of business rates relief for eligible new businesses, are available until 30 September 2034.
These zones can bring business rates relief or enhanced capital allowances for eligible firms on qualifying sites; check the current terms with the zone before relying on them.
Grid connection
St Helens 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 St Helens
St Helens follows the national planning rules for England, decided by St Helens 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:
- Victoria Square in the town centre is a conservation area (St Helens Council reference CA03, dating from March 1976), so check before planning roof panels on buildings there.
- The approved masterplan for the former Watson Street glassworks retains and reuses key heritage assets, so roofs on retained historic buildings there may face extra design checks.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in St Helens could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 931 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 93,100 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,641 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,397 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,037 |
| 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 St Helens 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 St Helens
At the end of 2025, St Helens had 3,621 solar PV installations with 17.5 MW of capacity, up 77% since 2020, according to government figures. The St Helens page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Widnes, about 6 miles away
- Kirkby, about 7 miles away
- Skelmersdale, about 7 miles away
- Warrington, about 7 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- sthelens.gov.uk: St Helens Borough Investment Opportunities
- broadwaymalyan.com: st helens council adopts former glass works
- pilkington.com: new glass production line in sthelens
- placenorthwest.co.uk: glass futures opens 54m facility
- gov.uk: maps of liverpool city region investment zone tax
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- gov.uk: maps of liverpool city region freeport tax sites
- planning.data.gov.uk
- en.wikipedia.org: St Helens, Merseyside
- 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 St Helens?
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 St Helens?
About 93,100 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 £17,037 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in St Helens 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
- St Helens3,621 installations, 17.5 MW of solar and about 931 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North WestTwo network operators, realistic northern yields, Trafford Park, the Port of Liverpool, Cheshire chemicals and Cumbrian farming, and Greater Manchester's non-charging clean air plan.
- 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.