Key facts
| Council area | Cumberland |
| Population | 22,945 (Whitehaven built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | Electricity North West (North West licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Westlakes Science Park; Whitehaven Commercial Park; Haig Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 954 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Whitehaven
- Westlakes Science Park: Science and technology park on the A595 south of Whitehaven, about 8 miles north of Sellafield, which Cumberland Council says is home to more than 2,000 professionals and includes a University of Central Lancashire campus teaching nuclear science and technology.
- Whitehaven Commercial Park: Employment site of about 12.3 hectares off Moresby Parks Road, reached by Joe McBain Avenue. The council's employment land study found it partly developed, with plant hire, logistics and electricals businesses and vacant plots in the centre and east.
- Haig Business Park: Business park of about 2.6 hectares on the clifftop off Solway Road, less than 1 km south west of the town centre, including the former Haig Pit. The council's employment land study counted 44 units, 4 of them vacant at the time.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Nuclear (Sellafield Ltd): Sellafield Ltd, which cleans up the UK's highest nuclear risks for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, has an 11,000 strong workforce, and Cumberland Council's prospectus calls Whitehaven its base for operations.
- Healthcare (West Cumberland Hospital): A £40 million, 55,860 sq ft two storey extension at West Cumberland Hospital, run by North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, reached practical completion in September 2024, adding palliative care, children's, elderly care and stroke rehabilitation wards.
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
Whitehaven is served by Electricity North West (North West 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 Whitehaven
Whitehaven follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Cumberland 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 Whitehaven Town Centre and High Street conservation areas cover the Georgian centre, with a character appraisal, management plan and town centre development guide from April 2009, so check whether a building is inside them before planning roof panels.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Whitehaven could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 954 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 95,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £16,027 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,431 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,458 |
| Simple payback | About 5.2 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 Whitehaven 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 Cumberland
At the end of 2025, Cumberland had 8,150 solar PV installations with 86.0 MW of capacity, up 35% since 2020, according to government figures. The Cumberland page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Workington, about 7 miles away
- Barrow-in-Furness, about 34 miles away
- Penrith, about 34 miles away
- Carlisle, about 35 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- cumberland.gov.uk: westlakes science park
- cumberland.gov.uk: whitehaven
- cumberland.gov.uk: appendix 2 draft employment sites
- cumberland.gov.uk: examination library copeland
- gov.uk: about
- graham.co.uk: construction of new 40m building at west cumberland
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- cumberland.gov.uk: conservation areas copeland
- 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 Whitehaven?
Electricity North West (North West 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 Whitehaven?
About 95,400 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 £17,458 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Whitehaven 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
- Cumberland8,150 installations, 86.0 MW of solar and about 819 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.