"These objectives include realizing value through sales and/or refinancings of certain buildings," the statement continues. The move would be made while "controlling key aspects of the estate in order to maintain its integrity, to protect and enhance its future development program and to retain all or a material portion of the ownership of a core sub-group of buildings."

The opportunistic bids are understood to have come from UK institutions, syndicates, listed companies, foreign groups, German funds and private companies. Although these offers are not for Canary Wharf's five biggest towers, they involve hundreds of millions of pounds worth of property.

The Docklands estate is 67% owned by Songbird, a consortium that includes Morgan Stanley, private investor Simon Glick and Goldman Sachs' Whitehall Fund. The other shareholders are Brascan, Franklin Mutual and Ontario Pension Fund.

The company has not disposed of any buildings since it went private, but Songbird made it clear at the time of the acquisition that it would dispose of "certain assets at the right time." The company still owns 5 million sf of undeveloped land and has planning permission to develop more skyscrapers in the medium term.