Option agreements for land in Reading
Before you agree an option agreement on land near Reading, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.
Options are the usual way to bring larger sites forward. They let us invest in planning while you keep ownership and the use of your land.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- We fund the planning work
Tell us about your land
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land around Reading
Reading (RG1) sits in OS grid square SU77, where it is the main town we cover. Sites between here and Lower Earley or Crowthorne are just as much of interest to us.
The Thames valley towns are under steady pressure for new homes. Much of east Berkshire is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the west takes in part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
| Town | Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | RG1 |
| OS grid square | SU77 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Lower Earley (3 mi), Wokingham (7 mi), Crowthorne (10 mi) |
| 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
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
- Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve
An option can capture more of your land's value where it needs a long planning journey, but the details matter. We explain every term before you commit.
How the money works
Purchase price
Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
Your obligations
Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.
Land near Reading that an option agreement suits
Development land in Reading
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Building plots in Reading
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garden land and backland in Reading
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Brownfield land in Reading
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
From first call to completion
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.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
What England's rules mean for your land
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
- The address or postcode
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Your questions answered
What is an option agreement?
A contract that gives the buyer the right to buy your land within a set period, usually after planning permission is granted. You receive an option fee now and the purchase price if the option is exercised.
Do I keep the option fee if you don't buy?
Normally, yes. The terms are set out in the agreement.
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 Reading?
Yes. Villages between Reading, Lower Earley and Wokingham often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Option agreements near Reading
More land we buy in Reading
- 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 Reading
- Option agreements in Berkshire
Ready to talk about your land in Reading?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.