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For landowners · Greater London

Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Bow

Can I sell a paddock or farmland for housing in Bow?

Farming families in Bow often have one field that could suit homes and want to protect the rest of the holding. Land to Homes shapes deals around that: access to retained land, timing that fits the farming year, and clear terms on tenancies and farm schemes. Every proposal starts with a free, no-obligation appraisal.

Aerial view of long rear gardens behind 1930s semi-detached houses backing onto a paddockBow · E3

Free site appraisal

Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.

Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.

  • Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
  • Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
  • Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
  • Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
  • UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI

Our coverage in Bow

We cover Bow as part of Greater London. It is about 5 miles east of London, around postcode district E3. Nearby, we also cover Stratford, Canary Wharf and Canning Town, all within 2 miles. Within England, Bow falls in the London region.

Sites worth a conversation around Bow: large and long rear gardens, farmland next to the settlement boundary and redundant agricultural buildings. In England, where Bow sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

Tell us where your land is around Bow and we will explain the routes open to you.

Our approach in Bow

Land quality and flood risk

Planning policy tends to protect higher-grade farmland, and flood zones can rule land out entirely. We check agricultural land quality mapping and flood maps early, before any detailed discussion of terms.

Access kept to retained fields

Deals can reserve access rights, service connections and drainage routes for the rest of your holding, so a new scheme does not cut off fields or buildings you keep.

Farm schemes considered

If the land is in an agri-environment or farm support agreement, taking it out may have consequences, including possible repayments. Check the scheme rules before you sign anything with anyone.

Keep farming meanwhile

Under an option or promotion agreement, you normally stay in possession and keep farming or grazing until the land is sold, subject to access for surveys and agreed notice periods.

Planning in Bow: the English rules

Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Bow may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.

In England, the NPPF asks councils to take account of the value of higher-quality farmland, and Local Plans set settlement boundaries. Agricultural tenancies may fall under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 or be farm business tenancies, each with its own rules. Land in Environmental Land Management or Countryside Stewardship agreements needs checking before it is taken out.

Key rules in Bow
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Questions about Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Bow

Can I keep farming while the land goes through planning?

Yes, in most option and promotion agreements. You stay in possession until the sale, and the agreement sets notice periods before the land is needed. It may restrict new long-term tenancies or works that could affect planning, such as removing hedgerows or trees without agreement.

Will selling farmland affect my inheritance tax reliefs?

It may. Reliefs for agricultural and business property depend on how the land is used and held, and selling land or holding cash instead can change the position. These rules have changed recently, so speak to an accountant or tax adviser before agreeing terms.

How do I keep access to the rest of my farm?

Through rights reserved in the agreement and the eventual transfer. These can include a right of way through the new estate road, service connections and drainage routes for retained land. Plan them early, because once a layout is approved it is much harder to add access later.

What happens to my tenant farmer if I sell for development?

It depends on the tenancy. Some older agricultural tenancies give tenants strong security, while newer tenancies and grazing licences are usually more flexible. Planning permission for a non-agricultural use can sometimes support ending a tenancy, but the rules are technical and specialist advice is essential. We factor the tenancy into any deal.

Do you work with landowners in Bow?

We do. We work with landowners in Bow and elsewhere in Greater London, including Holloway, Chalk Farm and Romford. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Sell Farmland and Paddocks · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

CallFree appraisal