Solar at DIRFT: Grid Connection, Planning, and ROI for Daventry Logistics

The warehouses at DIRFT and the surrounding logistics parks — including Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal 2 (DIRFT 3), Prologis Park Daventry, and Symmetry Park Daventry — share characteristics that make them among the best candidates for commercial solar in the UK. Large modern footprints of 100,000–1,000,000 sq ft. Flat or low-pitch roofs typically in excellent condition. High daytime energy consumption from automation systems, sortation lines, and dock-door heating.

DIRFT warehouses are predominantly occupied by major logistics operators and retailers including ASDA, Waitrose, Tesco, Amazon, DHL, and XPO Logistics — companies with public net zero commitments and Scope 2 carbon reporting obligations. Solar installation directly addresses both the financial and sustainability imperatives these occupiers face.

The East Midlands benefits from above-average solar irradiance for an inland location. Daventry receives approximately 1,000–1,050 kWh/m² of solar radiation annually, supporting strong system output. A 500kW system on a DIRFT warehouse generates approximately 450,000–475,000 kWh per year, worth £125,000–£135,000 at current commercial electricity rates with 80% self-consumption.

The concentration of logistics activity at DIRFT means grid infrastructure is well-developed. Western Power Distribution (now National Grid) has invested significantly in grid capacity in the Daventry area to support the logistics park's growth. This typically means G99 grid connection applications for DIRFT warehouses are processed more smoothly than at greenfield locations.

DIRFT and surrounding logistics parks fall within the planning jurisdiction of Daventry District (now Northamptonshire West area of West Northamptonshire Council). The council's planning policies are broadly supportive of renewable energy on commercial buildings.

For most warehouse buildings at DIRFT, solar installation qualifies as permitted development under Class J of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended 2023). This means no planning application is required for roof-mounted systems up to 1MW where panels do not protrude more than 200mm above the roofline.

For systems above 1MW — which are increasingly common on DIRFT's very large logistics facilities — a planning application is required. West Northamptonshire Council has a track record of approving commercial solar applications on logistics buildings, and the application process typically takes 8–12 weeks for straightforward roof-mounted systems. A pre-application consultation with the planning department is recommended for 1MW+ projects.

Some occupiers at DIRFT lease from institutional landlords including Prologis, Segro, and Tritax Megabox. In these cases, the tenant must obtain landlord consent for solar installation as well as any necessary planning permissions. Most major logistics REIT landlords have sustainability commitments that make them receptive to solar consent requests, particularly where the installation improves EPC ratings and supports their own Scope 3 sustainability reporting.

The majority of large DIRFT warehouses are landlord-owned and tenant-occupied. This creates a split-incentive challenge: the landlord owns the roof but does not pay the energy bills; the tenant pays the bills but does not own the roof.

Several models are used successfully at DIRFT and similar logistics parks. Under the landlord-funded model, the institutional landlord installs solar and recovers cost through enhanced rent or a separate electricity supply arrangement with the tenant. This model is common among sustainability-committed REITs such as Prologis and Segro, who can finance solar across multiple properties and recover costs systematically.

Under the PPA airspace lease model, a specialist solar investor funds the installation under a rooftop licence from the landlord. The investor sells electricity to the tenant at a below-grid rate, sharing the benefit between investor, tenant, and landlord (who receives a rooftop lease payment). This model requires no capital from either landlord or tenant.

For tenants with long leases seeking direct solar investment, the landlord consent process at DIRFT is well-established. Major REIT landlords have standard consent frameworks for tenant solar that address roof warranty, structural loading, reinstatement, and lease assignment. We have experience guiding tenants through consent processes with all major DIRFT landlords.