Residential and commercial lettings helped the Crown Estate’s rural division make a surplus revenue of £13.1m for the year ending 31 March.
Revenue for the Crown Estate’s 81,000ha (200,000-acre) rural estate in England and Wales was up 9% on the previous year, despite the decline in income from traditional farm rents.
Mineral leases for limestone, sand, gravel, clay, granite, slate and gold also contributed to profitability.
“The agricultural and forestry estates have experienced a difficult year,” said Chris Bourchier, head of Crown Estates’ rural estates.
“We are looking to develop broader businesses and assist our tenants to run a rural business rather than just a farm one,” Bourchier told Estates Gazette.
“A lot of our investment is going into helping them to do that,” he added.
