The Crown Estate

For the benefit of the nation, The Crown Estate manages the bed of the sea and 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 and in 2020 to Kent.

The significant areas The Crown Estate manages through Morley Riches 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 Blyth, Alde/Ore, Deben, Stour (Essex) and Stour (Kent) Blackwater and parts of the Crouch and Roach
• Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour
• Parts of the Port of Felixstowe
• Ports of Harwich, Parkeston Quay, Sheerness, Ramsgate and Dover
• 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