Option agreements for land in Kempston
Choosing how to sell matters as much as choosing who to sell to. For land near Kempston, an option agreement trades certainty and timing in a particular way.
An option agreement gives a buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy land within a set period, usually once planning permission is obtained. The landowner receives an option fee up front and, if the option is exercised, a price normally based on market value with permission, less agreed deductions.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Independent advice encouraged
- We fund the planning work
Selling land near Kempston?
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land around Kempston
Kempston lies in Bedfordshire, about 17 miles north of Luton. Nearby, we also look at land around Bedford (2 miles), Ampthill (6 miles) and Flitwick (8 miles).
Clay-vale farmland rises to the chalk of the Chilterns around Dunstable, and the Metropolitan Green Belt covers much of the south of the county around Luton.
| Town | Kempston |
|---|---|
| County | Bedfordshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | MK42 |
| OS grid square | TL04 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Bedford (2 mi), Ampthill (6 mi), Flitwick (8 mi) |
| Distance from Luton | About 17 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Planning costs | Ours, sometimes recoverable from the price |
Who an option agreement works best for
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
The terms that matter
Option fee
A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land near Kempston that an option agreement suits
Large strategic sites in Kempston
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Brownfield land in Kempston
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Kempston
Useful where vacant possession is some way off.
Inherited and probate land in Kempston
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
What happens next
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Rules that apply in England
Planning framework
Planning decisions in England follow the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026, and the local plan, prepared by the council or, in a national park, the park authority. Plans are reviewed periodically, which is when new housing sites are usually allocated.
Section 106 and CIL
Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.
Awkward details we deal with
You're worried about the deductions
Ask for a clear list and a cap on what can be deducted. We'll explain each one.
You want to be sure we'll actually pursue planning
Agreements can include obligations to use reasonable endeavours and set milestones.
Useful to send us
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
Do I keep the option fee if you don't buy?
Normally, yes. The terms are set out in the agreement.
How is the price set?
Usually as a percentage of the land's market value once permission is granted, minus agreed costs, with a minimum price. The percentage and deductions are negotiated.
How long do options last?
It varies with the site. Several years is typical for land needing local plan allocation, often with extension rights.
Do you cover the villages around Kempston?
Yes. Villages between Kempston, Bedford and Ampthill often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
More land we buy in Kempston
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Joint ventures
- All land in Kempston
- Option agreements in Bedfordshire
Ready to talk about your land in Kempston?
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.