Crown Estate profits from Wales jump to £210m as Plaid renews devolution demand

Mark Mansfield

Plaid Cymru has renewed its call for the Crown Estate to be devolved to Wales after new figures revealed profits from its Welsh assets have soared by more than 2,300% in five years.

The Crown Estate’s newly published Wales review shows operating profit in Wales reached £210 million in 2025/26, up from £8.7 million in 2020/21.

The figures come as First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth presses for greater control over Wales’ natural resources, and days after a row with Labour leadership frontrunner Andy Burnham over constitutional reform and funding.

Plaid Cymru says the report strengthens the case for devolving the Crown Estate, arguing that while Wales generates hundreds of millions of pounds through its seabed and other Crown assets, the profits are handed to the UK Treasury.

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said: “The Crown Estate in Wales’ profits have soared from £8.7 million in 2021 to £210 million in 2026, an increase of more than 2,300%.

“But the striking injustice is that our communities won’t see the benefit of the money they generated as it will be sent directly to the Treasury in London and it will be they that decide where and how it is spent.”

She contrasted Wales with Scotland, where the Crown Estate has been devolved since 2017.

“However, this does not have to be the case,” she said.

“Scotland has been in control of its natural resources since 2017, allowing its profits to be reinvested directly into Scottish public services and local communities. There is no reason why Wales should be treated differently.”

The Crown Estate said the £210 million operating profit was an exceptional result, driven largely by £200.2 million in option fees paid by the developer of the proposed Mona offshore wind farm. Those fees are temporary and will reduce significantly as the project moves into its next phase.

Ms Saville Roberts said Plaid had repeatedly attempted to devolve the Crown Estate through amendments and Bills at Westminster but had been blocked by successive UK governments.

“Plaid Cymru has long argued that devolving the Crown Estate is a matter of priority, and the people of Wales have given us a mandate to keep fighting for fairness,” she said.

“Every single council in Wales also agrees with this principle.

“We have tabled amendments and Bills in Westminster on multiple occasions to devolve the Crown Estate, but the UK Government continues to ignore the people of Wales and deprive Welsh communities of the benefits created by their own natural wealth.”

Frontrunner

She also challenged Andy Burnham, who is widely expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader and Prime Minister.

“As the frontrunner to be the next Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has said that he will put Wales at the centre of any government he runs,” she said.

“If he is to be true to his word, then the next UK Government must take steps to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales.”

The Crown Estate says its profits are returned to the UK Treasury for public spending. The organisation says it is investing heavily in offshore wind in Welsh waters, with three floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea expected to support around 5,000 jobs and contribute £1.4 billion to the wider economy over time.