The Crown Estate has set out its timeline for the UK’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 6, confirming that the process will take place in the first half of 2027 and is expected to deliver at least 6 GW of new capacity. The initiative marks the next phase in expanding the UK’s offshore wind footprint, with a geographic emphasis on areas in the northeast of England. These locations have been identified as suitable for fixed-bottom offshore wind developments and will be refined further through ongoing consultation and system-level planning.
Preparatory work for Offshore Wind Leasing Round 6 is already underway, with The Crown Estate launching a market engagement programme ahead of the formal leasing process. The exercise aims to gather industry feedback on commercial structures and assess overall viability, alongside gauging developer interest. At the same time, the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) strategic plans for both energy and electricity networks are expected to play a central role in determining final project capacity and site-specific parameters.
Beyond the immediate scope of Round 6, The Crown Estate has also highlighted additional seabed opportunities across the South West, Wales and other regions. These areas could form part of future leasing rounds under the newly introduced Marine Delivery Routemap, which is being deployed for the first time in this round. This structured approach is intended to streamline seabed allocation and align offshore wind expansion with long-term system planning objectives.
The latest announcement follows the conclusion of Round 5, which focused on floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea and targeted up to 4.5 GW of capacity. Seabed rights in that round were awarded to Equinor, Gwynt Glas, and Ocean Winds, with each project area reaching up to 1.5 GW. Agreements for lease have now been finalised for all three sites. The timing of Offshore Wind Leasing Round 6 also coincides with broader policy momentum, including the UK government’s confirmation that Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 8 (AR8) will open in July 2026, shortly after 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity was secured in AR7-the largest volume awarded in a UK auction so far.
The UK currently operates around 17 GW of installed offshore wind capacity, with an additional 12 GW under construction, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading offshore wind markets. “The UK’s offshore wind sector has become the leading source of clean energy in the UK, providing enough power for the equivalent of half of all UK homes. It attracts billions of pounds of inward investment, supports tens of thousands of skilled jobs around the country, and boosts energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuels”, the Crown Estate said on 26 March. In parallel, the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan released in December 2024 by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) outlines a pathway to achieving a near fully clean electricity system by 2030, with offshore wind positioned as a central pillar of that transition.