Wave, wind and tidal development for Lough Foyle

The Crown Estate already has a number of leases in the waterway and last year made a gross income of 17,000 from the Lough and 44,500 from the River Foyle last year.

Last week the organisation announced that nearly 2,000 UK businesses attended seven offshore wind industry supply chain events held across the United Kingdom with a number of further events - including one in Belfast on March 16 - yet to take place.

The Sentinel asked the body if it had any plans to develop its interests in the Lough and the River; last year it estimated that the property value of its marine estate in Lough Foyle was 242,000 and in the River Foyle 893,000.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Estate said it would not allow the water way to lie idle and that it was in discussions with DETINI about the possibility of leasing its property in the Londonderry area for the development of renewable energy and that the first stages of this would get under way in 2010.

She commented: “Our latest annual valuation figures, March 2009, shows that the gross income from Lough Foyle is 17,000 and from River Foyle is 44,500.

“The Crown Estate does not have any dealings covering the broader seabed of Lough Foyle but does not have a laissez-faire approach to the Lough, we are in discussions with the Loughs Agency to help sustainable fishery management, as is the Department for Agriculture Fisheries and Food (EI).

“The Crown Estate is currently in discussions with DETINI, with a view to starting a wave, wind and tidal leasing round this autumn.”

The 61,500 profit from the river and Lough last year was derived from leases of the foreshore such as Regulating Leases, Conservation Leases, Sporting Leases and Business Tenancy Leases (between Mean High and Mean Low Water Marks).

The spokeswoman explained that the figures are before management and legal costs which are impossible to separate because the Lough and River Foyle are managed as part of the Crown Estate’s wider Northern Irish portfolio.