Planning Permission and Strategy in Canary Wharf
If you own land in Canary Wharf and want to know whether homes could get planning permission, the answer starts with policy, not plans. We look at what the development plan says, what has been approved or refused nearby and what surveys the site needs. On promotion agreements we fund that work, and we never promise an outcome we cannot control.
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
Sites we take on near Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf (E14) is one of the Greater London towns we cover, about 5 miles east of London. 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.
Near Canary Wharf, we look at land with an expired or ageing consent, plots where access or drainage is the sticking point and land where self-build plots could suit the market. 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 about the site near Canary Wharf and we will explain how we would take it forward.
How we work in Canary Wharf
The right application route
Outline, full or another route the rules allow in that nation. We explain why we chose it and what each route means for timing, cost and risk.
Honest about risk
No one can guarantee planning permission. We tell you plainly where the risks sit, what could be done about them and when a site is unlikely to succeed.
Policy first
We start with the development plan, national policy and the planning history of the site, so the strategy rests on what the council will actually test the application against.
Nothing to pay upfront
Where we promote land, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission.
The English system, as it applies in Canary Wharf
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 Canary Wharf 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, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework and the council's Local Plan. Most applications must also deliver biodiversity net gain, and larger schemes usually involve a Section 106 agreement and, where a council charges it, the Community Infrastructure Levy. Permission in principle is an extra route available only in England.
| 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) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Planning Permission and Strategy in Canary Wharf: questions
What is a Section 106 agreement?
A Section 106 agreement is a legal agreement between a council and a landowner or developer that makes a development acceptable in planning terms, for example by securing affordable homes or contributions to schools and roads. It applies in England and Wales. Scotland uses Section 75 agreements and Northern Ireland uses Section 76 planning agreements for similar purposes.
Who pays for a planning application?
Normally whoever makes the application pays the council fee and the cost of the surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
What happens if planning permission is refused?
You can usually appeal, submit a revised application that deals with the reasons for refusal, or wait for planning policy to change. The right choice depends on the reasons given. We review the decision notice, take specialist advice where needed and explain the options. Under a promotion agreement, further planning work is funded by us on the terms set out in the agreement.
What is the difference between outline and full planning permission?
Outline permission establishes whether development is acceptable in principle, with some or all of the details, known as reserved matters, left for a later application. Full permission approves the detailed scheme in one go. Outline is often used to secure the principle on land before it is sold. In Scotland the equivalent of outline is planning permission in principle.
Can you manage a site in Canary Wharf from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Canary Wharf and elsewhere in Greater London, including Hampton, Wood Green and Hayes, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Planning permission explained for landowners