Option agreements for land in Cambridgeshire
We offer an option agreement on land across Cambridgeshire, including sites around Peterborough, Cambridge and Wisbech.
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.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
- We fund the planning work
Get an offer for land in Cambridgeshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Cambridgeshire at a glance
Flat arable fenland in the north contrasts with a fast-growing Cambridge area in the south, where the Cambridge green belt surrounds the city.
| County | Cambridgeshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | Peterborough |
| Example postcode districts | CB7, CB21, PE1, PE7, PE13 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Timescale | Often several years |
Who an option agreement works best for
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
- Owners who want to keep farming until development
- Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve
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.
How the money works
Option fee
A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.
Purchase price
Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
Deductions
Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.
Land an option agreement works for in Cambridgeshire
Farmland and agricultural land in Cambridgeshire
Common for edge-of-town farmland promoted through the local plan.
Garden land and backland in Cambridgeshire
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Infill plots and gap sites in Cambridgeshire
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Small sites in Cambridgeshire
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Garage sites in Cambridgeshire
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Inherited and probate land in Cambridgeshire
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
From first call to completion
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- 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 buy land in Cambridgeshire?
Yes. We consider land across Cambridgeshire, from Peterborough to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.
Option agreements by town in Cambridgeshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Cambridgeshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.