SNP repeats wish to make use of Crown Estate assets

All revenue generated from Crown Estate assets should be invested directly in local communities, the Scottish Government has reiterated.

The Crown Estate manages a diverse property business throughout the UK of office, retail and industrial premises, including housing, farmland, forestry and minerals, parkland, and around half the foreshore and almost all of the UK's seabed.

Its total, UK assets are valued at more than 7 billion and the profit it generates is paid to the UK Treasury.

The SNP wants devolution of the Crown Estate to be included in the Scotland Bill, currently awaiting its second reading in the House of Lords.

The party has said control over Crown assets would allow more money to be invested within Scotland and would allow the country to make the most of offshore renewable- energy opportunities.

The Scotland Bill aims to transfer more responsibility to Edinburgh.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "While we welcome any increase in investment by the Crown Estate, this falls well short of what we could achieve with full devolution of Crown Estate assets in Scotland.

"Our progressive plans, backed by the Scottish Parliament, would see revenues from the Crown Estate invested directly back into local communities.

"Scotland is blessed with fantastic offshore-energy potential. It is completely contrary to the spirit of self-government to have Scotland's seabed and almost half the foreshore controlled by an unelected body, with no requirement to consider the will of local communities or consult the Scottish Government."

The value of Crown Estate property in Scotland increased by 13 per cent over the year to 207 million."