Greenpeace UK has renewed its call for an independent review of Crown Estate offshore wind fees, following its warning of possible legal action against The Crown Estate in October 2025.
The environmental organisation detailed its concerns in written evidence submitted to the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee in July 2026. The submission, published on 3 September 2026, questioned the pricing structure used to allocate seabed rights to offshore wind developers.
The Crown Estate manages seabed leasing rights around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Under earlier leasing arrangements, developers’ option fees were capped. However, Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4, which concluded in January 2023, introduced an uncapped competitive bidding system.
Greenpeace claims the fourth leasing round generated more profit for The Crown Estate than the previous three offshore wind leasing rounds combined.
The Crown Estate reported total profits of approximately £1.1 billion for the financial year ending March 2025. The figure represents the organisation’s overall annual profit, rather than revenue attributable solely to Round 4.
Greenpeace argues that high seabed acquisition costs can increase offshore wind development expenses and may ultimately be reflected in electricity prices through the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme.
The group also questioned whether the auction arrangements comply with the Crown Estate Act 1961, which includes provisions requiring monopoly value to be excluded from certain transactions.
Responding to Greenpeace’s allegations in October 2025, The Crown Estate rejected the group’s interpretation of its legal responsibilities and leasing procedures.
The organisation maintained that option fees were determined by developers through competitive auctions rather than being imposed directly by The Crown Estate. It also stated that its net revenue was returned to the UK Treasury and that its offshore wind activities supported the country’s energy transition and energy security objectives.
The disagreement over leasing arrangements has also extended to preparations for Offshore Wind Leasing Round 6.
In its parliamentary submission, Greenpeace referred to correspondence from The Crown Estate dated 14 July 2026. According to the submission, the estate was considering replacing annual option fees with a payment due at the final investment decision (FID), described as a success fee.
Greenpeace acknowledged that such a change could reduce developers’ upfront financial exposure but argued that revised payment arrangements would not necessarily address its concerns about auction pricing.
The group called for an independent review of seabed auctions, transparent valuation procedures and measures to prevent monopoly premiums from being included in future leasing agreements.
It also proposed directing what it considers excess profits from Round 4 towards marine biodiversity restoration.
Greenpeace’s original warning of possible legal action was first reported by the Financial Times on 13 October 2025. Its subsequent parliamentary submission outlines the organisation’s continuing concerns and proposed changes to the offshore wind leasing system.
