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For landowners · Greater London

Sell Land with Planning Permission in Canary Wharf

Can I sell land with planning permission in Canary Wharf?

Land with planning permission in Canary Wharf is a site where the council has already approved new homes, either in outline or in full. A buyer is paying for that consent as well as the ground, so the price depends on what the permission allows, the conditions attached and the planning obligations that come with it. Land to Homes reviews all three before making an offer.

Development surveyor walking a field boundary hedge with a tabletCanary Wharf · E14

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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

Our coverage in Canary Wharf

We cover Canary Wharf as part of Greater London. It is about 5 miles east of London, around postcode district E14. Close by, our coverage also takes in Bow, Canning Town and Greenwich. Canary Wharf is in the London region of England.

Around Canary Wharf we look at large and long rear gardens, backland plots with a workable access and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. In England, where Canary Wharf 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 Canary Wharf and we will explain the routes open to you.

Our approach in Canary Wharf

Permission read in full

We read the decision notice, the approved plans and every condition, so any offer reflects what the consent actually allows rather than the headline number of homes on the application form.

Conditions priced in

Pre-commencement conditions, such as drainage, materials or ecology details, must be discharged before work starts. We identify which are outstanding, what they are likely to cost and who would deal with them.

Honest view on redesign

If a revised scheme could make the site work better, we explain that openly, including the planning risk a fresh application would carry, so you can judge any offer that depends on it.

Planning obligations understood

Section 106 agreements in England and Wales, Section 75 in Scotland and Section 76 in Northern Ireland bind the land. Their costs, such as affordable housing or contributions, pass to the buyer and affect value.

Planning and land rules in Canary Wharf

Selling development land in Canary Wharf usually starts with heads of terms, a short written summary of price, conditions and fees, before solicitors draft the contract. In England the sale becomes binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title then registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer normally pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.

In England, buyers check Section 106 obligations, any Community Infrastructure Levy liability and, for many newer permissions, the biodiversity gain condition, which usually requires a biodiversity gain plan to be approved before work starts. We also confirm whether the consent came from a full application, an outline approval, or Permission in Principle followed by technical details consent.

Key rules in Canary Wharf
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry.
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Canary Wharf

Is outline planning permission worth less than full permission?

Usually, because more approvals are still needed. Outline permission sets the principle and sometimes the access, while reserved matters such as layout, scale, appearance and landscaping come later. A buyer allows for the cost and risk of that remaining work. In Scotland the closest equivalent is planning permission in principle.

What is a pre-commencement condition?

It is a condition that must be discharged before any development starts, such as approval of drainage, materials, a construction management plan or ecology measures. Starting work before discharging one can mean the permission has not been lawfully implemented. Buyers check these carefully because they affect both cost and when building can begin.

Who pays the Community Infrastructure Levy when I sell land with planning?

CIL is only charged where the council has adopted it, which is possible in England and Wales but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. It is normally payable when development starts, by whoever has assumed liability. If you sell before work begins, the buyer usually takes on that liability. Reliefs and exemptions generally have to be claimed before commencement, so check the council's charging schedule.

Do I need to clear the planning conditions before I sell?

Not usually. Many sites sell with conditions still outstanding, and the buyer deals with them as part of preparing to build. Clearing some in advance can make a site easier to sell, but it costs money and may not suit every buyer's design. We will tell you whether it is worth doing on your site.

Is Canary Wharf an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Canary Wharf and elsewhere in Greater London, including Ilford, Dagenham and Islington. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.

Read more: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?

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.

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