The Crown Estate
We manage the coastal assets of The Crown Estate in East Anglia and on the River Thames.

The Crown Estate manages for the nation the bed of the sea, approximately half of the foreshore and beds of tidal rivers. This management is effected through a series of specialist managing agents. Peter Riches was appointed to this role in East Anglia in 1990 and since 2008 has delivered the service in conjunction with Carter Jonas. In 2013 the role was extended to include areas on the River Thames.
The significant areas The Crown Estate manages through Morley Riches & Ablewhite are
- The rivers of the Suffolk and Norfolk Broads
- The Wash
- Beaches from Blakeney to Horsey (including Holkham and Bacton), Hembsy, Hopton, Lowestoft to Kessingland, Walberswick to Bawdsey (excluding Thorpeness)
- The estuaries of the rivers Blythe, Alde/Ore, Deben, Stour, Blackwater and parts of the Crouch and Roach
- Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour
- Parts of the Port of Felixstowe
- Ports of Harwich and Parkeston Quay
- Burnham Yacht Harbour
- Hamford Water National Nature Reserve
- Sections of the River Thames fronting current or former public buildings such as the Tower of London, Palace of Westminster, Lambeth Palace and Hampton Court
Activities typically undertaken on the foreshore and beds of tidal estuaries include
- Structures for access such as jetties and pontoons
- Reclamation
- Moorings
- Marinas
- Pipelines, cables and outfalls
- Wildfowling
- Coast protection
- Environmental management
The Crown Estate has recently published two new reports focussing on the coastlines of Norfolk and Suffolk which challenge perceptions about erosion and dredging:
Aggregate dredging and the Norfolk coastline
Aggregate dredging and the Suffolk coastline
Read more about the Crown EstateRelated Pages


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