Driving broader value

Alongside commercialising floating offshore wind, delivering wider social and environmental value is a key objective of the Round 5 Programme.

Creating social value

The Crown Estate's strategy and purpose reflect society's needs in the UK; a need for communities to benefit from the transition to net zero and to protect and enhance the natural environment. Because our leasing process comes early in the offshore wind project development cycle, it provides a key opportunity to establish early incentives for Bidders to play their part in creating the foundations for new social and environmental value to be created.

Bidders must think innovatively and constructively about how their Round 5 Developments. can create a legacy of healthier, more resilient, fairer, vibrant and prosperous communities, a legacy that will stretch beyond the lifetime of the Wind Farm Leases for the benefit of generations to come.

Commitments made during the tender process will be monitored, reported on and enforced throughout the lifetime of the relevant Round 5 Developments.

Creating environmental value

We are seeking to accelerate progress towards a net positive outcome for biodiversity and improved resilience of marine ecosystems through Round 5.

Our proposed approach draws on both ongoing discussions around evolving policy frameworks and direct discussions with statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs) about the various outcome categories that could deliver most value for the environment.

Working with key stakeholders, including SNCBs, we have identified a long-list of specific interventions in both England and Wales that may be taken forward by successful Bidders as part of the commitments they make under our Legal Agreements.

This list draws from both regionally specific plans and ongoing initiatives that are nested in national targets, to ensure we are adding to rather than duplicating effort.

The long-list captures actions that deliver on the following themes:

• Habitat restoration, creation and enhancement;

• Pressure reduction e.g. litter, pollution, prey availability Land-Sea interactions e.g. water quality, land management

• Data and evidence to improve outcomes