Solar panels on a terraced house in St Helens

What St Helens terraces are like

The borough's oldest terraces went up with its industries. In Earlestown, the conservation appraisal describes the town's rapid growth in the second half of the nineteenth century as "continuous terraces, predominantly two storeys high", with roofs "almost always clad in Welsh slate". At Vulcan Village in Newton-le-Willows, three terraces of workers' houses were built from 1835 for the Vulcan Foundry; in the 1950s outriggers were added at the back for kitchens and bathrooms, and in the 1980s the slates were replaced with concrete tiles.

Their energy ratings show their age: only 46.17% of the borough's terraced houses have an EPC of C or better, against 52.29% of all homes (ONS).

The roof

• Short slopes. A two-storey terrace's main slope is often only 4 to 5 m wide and 4 to 5 m from gutter to ridge, enough for two rows of three or four panels at most.
• Shared stacks. Stacks on the ridge or the party wall, shared between neighbours, take space at each end of your slope. On a south-facing slope their winter shadows fall north, away from the panels; on an east- or west-facing slope they cross it in the mornings or evenings.
• Outriggers. A rear outrigger (back kitchen) has its own low roof below the main slope. It does not shade the main roof, but its roof is usually too small and too shaded by the house for panels.
• The edges. MCS's installation standard keeps panels 400 mm back from any edge of a home's roof unless extra measures are taken. On a terrace, ask how the installer treats the line of the party wall and your neighbour's roof.

How much the terrace opposite shades

Our calculation with the shade checker; clear-sky direct sunshine, St Helens, 21st of each month. Put in your own street's distances.

The houses opposite are wide but, across a typical alley and pair of back yards, too low in the sky to matter except in midwinter. Narrower streets, taller buildings or a slope that rises to the south change that; measure yours.

Practical points

1. Scaffolding. On a terrace it often goes on the pavement or the back alley, which needs a licence the scaffolding firm arranges, or across a neighbour's yard, which needs their agreement.
2. The inverter. Lofts in terraces can be small; a utility room or under the stairs may be better. Ask where the cable runs.
3. Two neighbours together. If neighbours both want panels, one scaffold along two houses can cut the cost for each. Ask installers whether they price that way.
4. Article 4 areas. In parts of Rainhill, Rainford, Vulcan Village and High Street, Newton-le-Willows, changes to roofs facing the street are controlled; see planning and Article 4.

Terraced houses in St Helens averaged £155,878 in August 2026, up 5.9% on a year (HM Land Registry). A south-facing terrace slope here makes about 938 kWh a year per kW (PVGIS), so even a 2.5 to 3.5 kW system on a short roof is worth working through on the first-year sums.

Related pages

• Chimneys and shade
• Shade checker
• Article 4 areas
• Optimisers

References

1. Nomis: Census 2021 table TS044, type of accommodation
2. Council Tax stock of properties, 2026 (HMRC)
3. St Helens Borough Council: Earlestown conservation area appraisal
4. St Helens Borough Council: Vulcan Village conservation area appraisal
5. Office for National Statistics: how energy efficient are homes in England and Wales
6. HM Land Registry: UK House Price Index, St Helens, August 2026
7. MCS MGD 005: solar PV shade evaluation procedure (shade factor)
8. St Helens Borough Council: Article 4(2) directions, a guide for owners and occupiers