Scottish FAQs

Who owns The Crown Estate in Scotland?show/hide

The Crown Estate is owned by the Monarch in right of the Crown. This means that she owns it by virtue of holding the position of reigning Monarch, for as long as she is on the throne, as will her successor. The Crown Estate is managed by us under the Crown Estate Act, and the Queen is not involved in management decisions.

By contrast, the Queen also has private assets, including Balmoral and Sandringham, which are hers to deal with as she chooses.

Since 1760, the net income of The Crown Estate has been surrendered to the Exchequer by the Monarch under successive Civil List Acts, passed at the beginning of each reign. That continues to be the case under the Sovereign Grant Act. An adjustable percentage of our net income will be paid to the Queen by the Treasury, from the money which the Exchequer receives from us.

What is the value of The Crown Estate in Scotland?show/hide

The property value of The Crown Estate in Scotland in 2010/11 was £207.1 million (excluding properties held within joint ventures which hold property UK wide and as such cannot be allocated by region).

How much revenue do the Scottish estates yield?show/hide

The gross surplus for our estates in Scotland reached £9.9 million for the year ending 31 March 2011, compared to £11 million in the previous year. This fall in revenue was against a background of continuing investment in the long-term development of our property interests in Scotland, with capital investment rising by 76 per cent, to £7.4 million.

What does The Crown Estate own in Scotland?show/hide

The marine estate in Scotland consists of approximately 50 per cent of the foreshore and beds of tidal rivers and almost all the seabed out to 12 nautical miles which results in an estate that is both extensive and diverse. It includes oil and gas pipelines, telecommunication and power cables, marinas, ports and harbours, and aquaculture. The marine estate also includes rights to gas storage and renewable energy in Scottish territorial waters and in UK waters adjacent to Scotland.

The rural estate in Scotland includes 37,000 hectares (91,400 acres) of agricultural land, 5,000 hectares (12,300 acres) of forestry, plus residential and commercial property and salmon fishing rights.

The urban estate in Scotland comprises 39-41 George Street, Edinburgh. Our other investment in Scottish commercial property is through a 50 per cent interest in an English Limited Partnership which owns Fort Kinnaird Retail Park in Edinburgh.

How much foreshore does The Crown Estate own in Scotland?show/hide

The Crown Estate owns about half of the foreshore around the Scottish coastline.

Does The Crown Estate have a sustainability policy?show/hide

We have a strong commitment to sustainability and produce a report each year showing our performance against specific targets relating to the way we do business, our customers, our people, the environment and the wider community.

For more information please visit our sustainability page.

What local support does The Crown Estate offer in Scotland?show/hide

The Crown Estate supports coastal communities through its programme of marine stewardship. The programme was established to support practical projects, relevant research, and other initiatives that improve the status and management of the marine estate.

On the rural estate, we retain a long term commitment to our agricultural tenants and have invested substantial amounts in buildings and fixed equipment to help them run modern and competitive businesses. Wherever possible we promote best practice in rural business, and encourage and support diversification and environmental management in partnership with our tenants. This is particularly evident on our Glenlivet estate where tenant enterprises include reindeer farming, sawmilling, a farrier's business and a country museum as well as B&Bs. We also engage with local communities on future strategy within our estates.

What is The Crown Estate's position on The Scotland Bill?show/hide

The legal and constitutional position of The Crown Estate is a matter for Government. From our perspective we will continue to look to work in partnership with the Scottish Government, councils and local businesses for the benefit of communities across Scotland.

How much does The Crown Estate expect to earn from the development of offshore renewables in Scottish waters?show/hide

For the present, our prime focus is on making the plans for renewable energy happen and reducing the risks which might deter the companies that Scotland needs as they make these huge investment decisions. If those plans come to fruition, of course, there will be an income stream. Our best estimate is that the revenues from offshore renewables in ScottishTerritorial Waters (0-12nm) and in adjacent UK waters (12-200nm) will be about £250,000 per year for the next five years, before wind farm developments are fully completed, and, as stated above we shall be investing much larger sums in that period. Forecasts for growth in these revenues thereafter are more speculative. This will, of course, be included in The Crown Estate's revenue surplus which goes to the Exchequer for the benefit of the nation, as is required by the Civil List Act 1952.