0800 088 6248 Get an offer
Land we buyWays to sellAreasGuidesAbout Contact Get an offer

Option agreements for land in Ely

If you own land in or around Ely, option agreements is one of four ways you can sell it to us. Here's how it works and when it makes sense.

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
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • Independent advice encouraged

Tell us about your land

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Land around Ely

Ely (CB7) sits in OS grid square TL58, some 25 miles south-east of Peterborough. Sites between here and Mildenhall or March are just as much of interest to us.

TownEly
CountyCambridgeshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCB7
OS grid squareTL58
Nearest towns we coverMildenhall (11 mi), Newmarket (12 mi), March (13 mi)
Distance from PeterboroughAbout 25 miles south-east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOption fee now, price when the option is exercised
Planning costsOurs, sometimes recoverable from the price
Two people in outdoor jackets walking along a hedgerow, one pointing across the field

Is an option agreement right for your land?

  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • 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

If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.

What to check in an option agreement

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.

Deductions

Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.

Your obligations

Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.

Land near Ely that an option agreement suits

Land with planning permission in Ely

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Paddocks and equestrian land in Ely

Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.

Barns and rural buildings in Ely

Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.

Brownfield land in Ely

Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.

From first call to completion

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

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.

When the land isn't straightforward

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

  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Ely

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.

What's the difference between an option and a promotion agreement?

Under an option the buyer has the right to buy the land. Under a promotion agreement a promoter gets permission and then sells the land on the open market, taking a share of the proceeds. We offer options, not promotion agreements.

Do you buy land in Ely?

Yes. We consider land in and around Ely and across Cambridgeshire. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Option agreements near Ely

Other land in Ely

Get a straight answer about your land

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248