Scottish Crown Estate strategic management plan - ICIA not required: declaration

Summary of aims and expected outcomes of strategy, proposal, programme or policy

The purpose of the Scottish Ministers’ first Strategic Management Plan (the Plan) for the Scottish Crown Estate is to guide, support and inform all those who live on or near to Scottish Crown Estate assets, current managers and those who wish to become managers of individual assets in the future,

This will be achieved by setting out a vision and high level objectives, priorities and policies for an integrated approach to managing the assets sustainably for the benefit of Scotland. One of the Strategic Management Plan’s primary objectives is to deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the way in which the Estate is managed.

Summary of evidence

The first Strategic Management Plan for the Scottish Crown Estate sets out the Scottish Ministers’ key objectives, priorities and policies for the management of the Estate. The Scottish Crown Estate is a diverse portfolio of assets, including seabed leasing rights, urban property, rural estates and mining interests.

The Strategic Management Plan will provide a framework to ensure that managers maintain and enhance the capital value and revenue from the assets in a way that supports sustainable development, and economic development, regeneration, social and environmental well-being. More widely, to ensure that the Plan contributes to the successful delivery of Government policies and delivery of the National Performance Framework. 

The Strategic Management Plan recognises that strategies in relation to the management of the assets will consider the potential for delivering benefits to island communities. Accordingly, an assessment is being carried out under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 even though the relevant section of that Act has yet not been commenced. 

It is expected that each Corporate Plan or Management Plan prepared by a manager of a Scottish Crown Estate asset will include measures which will seek to ensure that the needs of island communities are met where a manager is responsible for assets in any of the island communities. 

Summary of assessment findings

The objectives, priorities and policies within the Strategic Management Plan apply to current and prospective managers of Scottish Crown Estate assets.

We do not believe an Island Communities Impact Assessment is required in relation to the draft Strategic Management Plan. The Strategic Management Plan is not likely to impact island communities in a significantly different way. In addition, it makes no distinction to the various communities across Scotland.

Name: David Mallon

Job title: Head of Crown Estate Strategy Unit
Marine Scotland: Aquaculture, Crown Estate, Recreational Fisheries, EMFF and Europe
22 August 2019