Solar Panels for Corstorphine, Cramond and Murrayfield Homes

Corstorphine · Murrayfield · Cramond · Davidson's Mains · Barnton

West Edinburgh is one of the most straightforward parts of the city for solar. The housing is mostly individually owned, low-rise and suburban, with generous plots and broad south-facing roofs. Where the tenement lands of Leith and the Old Town need co-owner consent and narrow access, a Corstorphine semi or a Cramond bungalow usually means one owner, one roof and a clear decision. The main thing to check before a survey is whether your street falls within the Cramond Conservation Area, which affects the older waterfront cottages.

Housing Stock in West Edinburgh

West Edinburgh's housing stock falls broadly into three categories, each with distinct solar characteristics:

1930s Semi-Detached Houses

The streets of Corstorphine (Clermiston Road, Featherhall Drive, Saughton Road North) and parts of Murrayfield are characterised by 1930s pebble-dashed and brick semi-detached houses. These properties typically have:

• Good roof areas — often 30–50 m² per slope, enough for 3–4 kWp systems (9–12 panels) on a single south or south-west facing pitch.
• Hipped or gabled roofs — many have a hipped design with a smaller south-facing triangle. A gabled semi with its ridge running east-west gives the largest unbroken south slope.
• Concrete interlocking tiles — far easier to work with than slate, using standard tile hooks without specialist roofing skills.
• Individual ownership — no co-owner consent issues. The homeowner has full control over the roof.

Post-War Bungalows

Cramond, Davidson's Mains and the older parts of Barnton have a scattering of single-storey post-war bungalows on wide plots. These properties have:

• Low-pitch roofs — typically 20–30°, which is close to the optimal pitch for solar generation in Scotland.
• Large gardens — ground-mounted arrays are a genuine alternative where the roof is small or heavily shaded by mature trees.
• Generous loft space — ideal for battery and inverter installation away from living areas.

Cramond Waterfront & Barnton Executive Homes

The waterfront at Cramond and the executive developments around Barnton Avenue and Whitehouse Road include larger detached properties built from the 1970s onwards. These have:

• Large roof areas — often 50–80 m², accommodating 5–6 kWp systems that justify battery storage.
• Good south-facing exposure — the streets running inland from the Forth give rear slopes an open southern aspect with minimal overshadowing.
• Coastal exposure at Cramond — salt-air from the Forth estuary means marine-grade fixings are worth specifying.

Conservation Areas in West Edinburgh

Parts of west Edinburgh fall within City of Edinburgh Council conservation areas, which affects your planning requirements:

• Cramond Conservation Area — covers the historic village core around Cramond Kirk, the waterfront cottages and the site of the Roman fort. Properties within this area lose Permitted Development Rights for solar panels and require a full planning application. The Council is particularly sensitive to roofs visible from the riverside walk and the causeway to Cramond Island.
• Corstorphine Conservation Area — a smaller designation covering the old village core around the High Street and Corstorphine Hill. Street-facing slopes require planning.

Properties outside these conservation areas — including the 1930s semis of Clermiston and Featherhall, the Murrayfield sports-adjacent streets, and most of Barnton and Davidson's Mains — benefit from Permitted Development Rights (PDR), meaning solar panels can be installed without a planning application, provided they don't protrude more than 200 mm from the roof surface and are not on principal elevations facing a highway.

DNO: SP Energy Networks

West Edinburgh is within the SP Energy Networks (SPEN) distribution area. SPEN manages all grid connection applications for solar PV in this area. For detached-house installations above 3.68 kWp, a G99 application is required — SPEN typically processes these within 45–65 working days. Smaller semi-detached installations at or below 3.68 kWp qualify for the faster G98 notification process (10 working days).

Solar Yield

Edinburgh's average annual solar yield is 894 kWh per kWp of installed capacity (MCS data), above the Scottish median of 850 kWh/kWp. West Edinburgh properties often achieve at or above this average thanks to larger plots, lower building density and minimal overshadowing from neighbouring houses. The open aspect toward the Forth also helps horizon shading on north slopes.

Illustrative generation for typical West Edinburgh systems:

Generation figures are illustrative, calculated at 894 kWh/kWp. Actual yield depends on orientation, pitch, shading, and weather.

Cost and Finance

Every West Edinburgh installation is priced at survey. System size, roof type, scaffolding and any battery all affect the cost, so the full price is confirmed on your written quote.

• 0% VAT on solar panels and batteries until 31 March 2027.
• Interest-free credit up to £30,000, subject to status.
• Smart Export Guarantee payments, with rates set by each supplier.

Conservation area properties also need a planning application, which carries a council fee. Outside the conservation areas, the straightforward concrete-tile roofs and easy access keep installation costs lower than the slate tenements of the city centre.

Why West Edinburgh Is Ideal for Solar

West Edinburgh combines several factors that make it one of the city's strongest areas for domestic solar:

• Larger plots and lower density — 1930s semis and bungalows sit on wide plots with generous gaps between buildings, so mutual shading is minimal.
• Good south-facing roofs — many streets run east-west, giving rear slopes an open southern aspect.
• Concrete tiles over slate — faster, lower-cost mounting than the slate roofs of Marchmont or the Old Town.
• Easy scaffolding access — driveways and front gardens give scaffold rigs room to work, unlike the narrow closes of the Old Town.
• Installer coverage — We install through MCS-certified partners. West Edinburgh is within their regular coverage area.

Nearby Areas and Related Services

To the south, the villa streets of Morningside and the Grange offer similarly spacious roofs, and to the north the Leith waterfront mixes tenements and modern flats, so it is worth comparing approaches before you plan your installation.

• Solar in Morningside, Bruntsfield and Marchmont
• Solar in Leith, Newhaven and Portobello
• Solar panels for Edinburgh roofs
• Home battery storage
• Air source heat pumps

Get a West Edinburgh Solar Quote

Whether you're in a Corstorphine semi, a Cramond bungalow, a Murrayfield detached house or a Barnton executive home, we'll match you with the right system for your property. No-obligation survey, no pressure.

Request a surveyCall 0141 230 0198

Edinburgh Solar Hub is part of Scottish Energy Efficiency — an impartial advisory service, not an installer. We install through MCS-certified partners.

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