Solar and battery in Viking Bay and the Old Town
Harbour Street, York Gate and the streets that fall to the sand.
Viking Bay is the main beach in Broadstairs, with a small harbour and a jetty at one end. The town's name comes from a flight of steps cut in the chalk cliff that once led from the sands up to a shrine on the top. Harbour Street runs down to the front under York Gate, a flint gate first built in 1540 and restored in 1795. The streets around it are old, narrow and often terraced.
Thanet District Council lists a Broadstairs conservation area, designated in 1970 and extended in 1986 and 2009, with separate North and South maps. If your street is inside it, the council says panels on a house that is neither listed nor a flat should not stand more than 0.2 metres above the roof slope, should not go past the highest part of the roof and should not face the highway. Side and rear slopes are the usual answer.
Many of these houses back onto other houses or steep gardens, so the rear slope may be the only clear one. We look at shade, chimney stacks and the space for a battery before we suggest a size. If the roof is awkward or listed, a battery inside the building, charged on a cheap overnight tariff, still cuts the bill. See our battery only page.
What we check at your address
- Whether your street is in the Broadstairs conservation area (North or South) and whether the building is listed
- Which roof slope faces the road, and whether a side or rear slope has sun
- Shade from the cliff, trees and the house next door, and chimney stacks that share a roof
As of October 2026. Estimates, not quotes. Prices assume 0% VAT on installations, which ends 31 March 2027, then 5%.
Questions about Viking Bay and the Old Town
Can I get solar panels in Viking Bay and the Old Town?
Most houses can. We check your roof direction, shade and any conservation area, flat or listed building rules for your address first. Thanet District Council lists 27 conservation areas across Thanet, and four of them name Broadstairs places.
Should I choose solar only, solar and battery, or a battery only in Viking Bay and the Old Town?
With a roof of your own, solar only is usually the best value. Solar with a battery suits homes out in the day and busy at night. A battery only suits homes that already have solar, a cheap overnight tariff, or no roof to use. Our guide to choosing shows the sums.
How much does solar cost near Viking Bay and the Old Town?
As of October 2026 a 4 kWp system is about £5,500 to £7,500, with a 5 kWh battery about £8,500 to £12,500, and a 5 kWh battery alone about £2,750 to £4,750. These are estimates, not quotes.
Who is the network operator for Viking Bay and the Old Town?
Kent is in the South Eastern Power Networks area, part of UK Power Networks. We handle the network notice or approval for you and confirm the operator from your meter number.
Last reviewed 7 October 2026.
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