Land Promotion Agreements in Canary Wharf
A land promotion agreement in Canary Wharf is a partnership in which a promoter funds and manages the planning process, then sells the land on the open market with the landowner. The promoter's costs and an agreed fee come out of the sale proceeds. Because both sides are paid from the same sale, both want the highest price.
Canary Wharf · E14Free site appraisal
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- 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
Land and sites near Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf sits about 5 miles east of London in Greater London, in the E14 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Bow (1 mile), Canning Town (2 miles) and Greenwich (2 miles). Canary Wharf is part of England’s London region.
In and around Canary Wharf, the land we appraise ranges from paddocks on the edge of Canary Wharf to farmland next to the settlement boundary, including backland plots with a workable access. Planning in Canary Wharf follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Tell us where your land is around Canary Wharf and we will explain the routes open to you.
What you get in Canary Wharf
Interests aligned on price
The promoter's fee is linked to the sale price, so we only do well if you do. That is the main difference from an option, where the buyer benefits from a lower valuation.
Open-market sale
Once planning is secured, the land is marketed to housebuilders and other buyers, usually through an agent. The aim is genuine competition between bidders, rather than reliance on a single valuation figure.
Minimum price agreed early
The agreement sets a floor below which you cannot be required to sell. Some agreements allow it to be reviewed by an independent surveyor if the market moves during the term.
Retained land protected
If you keep neighbouring land, the agreement can secure access and services to it, so the new scheme does not cut off the rest of your holding or limit its future use.
Planning in Canary Wharf: the English rules
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Canary Wharf, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.
In England, promotion usually focuses on getting land allocated in a Local Plan, or permitted where the council cannot show enough land for housing. Larger schemes often go in as outline applications, and the heads of terms should explain how Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy and biodiversity net gain costs affect the net proceeds.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
Your questions answered for Canary Wharf
What is a minimum price in a promotion agreement?
It is the lowest figure at which the landowner can be required to sell once planning is granted. It protects you from a sale in a weak market. Set it too high and the land may not sell; set it too low and it gives little protection. Some agreements allow review by an independent surveyor.
Who pays if the planning application fails?
On a Land to Homes promotion agreement there is nothing to pay upfront. We fund the planning work, and our costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. How costs are treated in every scenario is written into the heads of terms before you sign anything.
Will I have a say over who buys the land?
Usually, yes. Promotion agreements typically involve the landowner in agreeing the marketing approach and the choice of buyer, subject to the minimum price. Where several bids meet the minimum, the agreement sets out how the preferred bid is chosen and what happens if the parties disagree.
Can a promotion agreement cover land owned by several people?
Yes. Neighbours, family members or trustees can sign one agreement, or linked agreements, often with a separate arrangement for sharing proceeds between them. This makes it easier to bring forward a larger site with a single planning strategy. Our land assembly page explains how sharing usually works.
Do you work with landowners in Canary Wharf?
We do. We work with landowners in Canary Wharf and elsewhere in Greater London, including London, Northolt and Acton. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Land Promotion Agreements · Guide: Option agreement or promotion agreement: what is the difference?