Written evidence submitted by Highland
Council
INTRODUCTION
Highland Council welcomes the opportunity to
contribute to this important inquiry and hopes that the Treasury
sub-committee will find its submission of value.
The sub-committee may be aware that Highland
Council has campaigned for major reform of the Crown Estate in
Scotland for many years. Within its many commitments on the economy,
the Council has agreed to continue to seek a strategic shift in
the ownership of marine resources by working with the Scottish
Government and pressing the UK Government to conduct a full review
of the Crown Estates.
In February 2007 Highland Council (with its
Highland and Island local authority partners and Highlands and
Islands Enterprise published the report titled "The Crown
Estate in Scotland—New Opportunities for Public Benefits".
The report did much to clarify the position of the Crown Estate
in Scotland and to identify alternative management options that
would deliver additional public benefit. Recognising that the
Treasury sub-committee intends to look at the rural and urban
estates in addition to the marine estate, Highland Council recommends
the report to the Treasury sub-committee as an up to date source
of information on the Crown Estate in Scotland.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT
In addition to the commitment mentioned above,
the Programme for the Highland Council 2009—11 contains
a number of commitments designed to support the development of
the renewable energy sector in the Highlands. These include specific
targets for installed capacity and for the development of marine
renewable energy in the Pentland Firth.
The Council recognises the world class skills
of the workforce at Dounreay and is committed to working in partnership
with relevant agencies and the Scottish and UK Governments to
safeguard and enhance the social and economic environments of
Caithness and North Sutherland during the Dounreay decommissioning.
With regard to the above points, Highland Council
recognises the important influence that the Crown Estate Commissioners
have in supporting the achievement of the Council's goals. As
such, the Council wishes to work closely with the Crown Estates
Commissioners and all relevant Government and agency partners
in the area. Further details of the Councils involvement in marine
energy partnerships can be provided if the Inquiry wishes.
A vital concern of the Council's is that it
needs to secure major local financial community benefits (in addition
to employment, training and business benefits) from marine energy
development around the Highlands and Islands. To this end the
Council is now working with the Crown Estate Commissioners and
its Highland and Islands local authority partners (via the Highlands
and Islands Conveners' Group) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise
to agree a Memorandum of Understanding with the Crown Estate Commissioners.
Highland Council also wishes to see conditions
conducive to sustained investment in the Highlands and Islands.
The Council accepts that un-necessary delays in allocating leases
combined with recent reports of three-fold increases in transmission
charges may increase uncertainty, particularly at the early stages
of development. Clarity and stability are important prerequisites
for potential developers of marine energy. The Council would welcome
the Inquiry views on how both can be enhanced.
A further concern of the Council's is that marine
renewable energy development takes place in a sustainable manner
that is fully integrated with the marine spatial planning process
at a national and local level. The importance of appropriate consultation
as part of this process is obvious. Highland Council wishes to
see greater efforts to fully integrate the role of the Crown Estate
Commissioners with the marine planning process at national and
local level in Scotland. This implies a need for greater integration
with Marine Scotland, which will shortly have responsibility for
marine planning and licensing, with the passage of the Marine
(Scotland) Act 2010.
SUMMARY
Highland Council welcomes the Treasury sub-committee
inquiry into the Crown Estate. The Council is committed to seeking
a review of the Crown Estate in Scotland and has started to work
with the Crown Estate Commissioners towards the delivery of its
Programme commitments for the Highlands, via a proposed Memorandum
of Understanding. Not withstanding this work the Council would
welcome the Inquiry's views on opportunities for:
(a) maximising of local community benefit from
marine renewable energy developments;
(b) reducing uncertainty in support of
investor confidence; and
(c) greater integration of the Scottish Marine
Estate with national and local marine planning frameworks resulting
from the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
ORAL EVIDENCE
Highland Council notes that the Treasury sub-committee
expects to hear oral evidence during February and would welcome
the opportunity to contribute further at this stage of the inquiry.
January 2010
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