The Crown Estate in Wales

The Crown Estate is firm in its commitment to Wales and to high standards of management across all our estates. We play an important role in the life of Wales with both traditional rural estate interests and new opportunities on our coastal and marine estates.

Our ambition is to work with Wales: supporting the Welsh Assembly Government and other stakeholders in achieving their objectives. We know that Wales is changing and that, like other organisations, we need to change with it. The way we work across the UK has to respond to the dynamics of devolution.

Wales has a rich and diverse environment that must be protected and enhanced, both for today and for generations to come. We have two estates in Wales: the rural estate and the marine estate.

On the rural estate our responsibility for estates and common land ties us to traditional rural communities. We know that some of these are experiencing rapid economic, social and cultural change, facing unique challenges and having to adapt to new circumstances.

These changes yield both challenges and opportunities. In facing them, we believe that The Crown Estate’s stewardship role will remain vital. Our aim is always to plan for the long term, leaving a legacy of sustainable investment for future generations.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to being a rural landowner, taking very seriously our responsibilities to our tenant farmers, to the rural landscape and to the environment.

Our marine estate is unique, with ownership of the seabed around the UK out to the 12 mile territorial limit, and 65% of the Welsh foreshore. This means that we work closely with a range of marine-based industries such as ports, harbours, marinas and offshore renewables. We have a strong understanding of the needs of these industries and the balance between them and the interests of other sea users, such as leisure and conservation groups.

We are looking forward to strengthening and deepening relationships with the Welsh Assembly Government and political stakeholders and to working with them on marine and rural issues. We believe we have a vital part to play in the formulation of policy in such areas, and in facilitating its implementation.

Offshore wind and renewable energy have the potential to make Wales an energy rich country, and to provide a significant contribution to the UK’s energy generated from renewable resources.

Realising these opportunities requires expertise, experience and investment. As stewards of the territorial seabed and having brought forward the first two rounds of offshore windfarm developments around the UK, The Crown Estate will play an active role in helping Wales to make the most of these resources.

We believe that the marine sector in both Wales and the wider UK will grow in the coming years. There will be significant opportunities both for economic investment and for communities, which we plan to promote and pursue. Such projects can bring jobs and new skills, making an important contribution to the economy as well as climate change targets for Wales and the UK.

The desire on our part to foster further engagement and partnership with Wales has prompted the production of this report, and demonstrates The Crown Estate’s commitment to that end.

For further information, please download The Crown Estate in Wales PDF, available in either English or Welsh.