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

Option agreements for land in St Ives

If you own land in or around St Ives, 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 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.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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 St Ives

Our appraisals for St Ives start with the PE27 postcode district and the OS grid square TL37, then widen out to Huntingdon, St Neots and Cambridge, all within about 12 miles.

TownSt Ives
CountyCambridgeshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtPE27
OS grid squareTL37
Nearest towns we coverHuntingdon (5 mi), St Neots (11 mi), Cambridge (12 mi)
Distance from PeterboroughAbout 18 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

Who an option agreement works best for

  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • 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

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

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.

Minimum price

A floor that protects you if values fall.

Deductions

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

Land near St Ives that an option agreement suits

Large strategic sites in St Ives

The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.

Building plots in St Ives

Rarely needed for single plots.

Garden land and backland in St Ives

Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.

Infill plots and gap sites in St Ives

Seldom needed for single infill plots.

How a sale works

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  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.

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'd like your advisers' costs covered

Many option agreements include a contribution to the landowner's legal and agent costs. We'll tell you if ours does.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

Common questions

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.

Can I sell to someone else during the option?

Not usually. The option binds the land, and it's normally registered against your title.

Can you visit land near St Ives?

Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.

Option agreements near St Ives

More land we buy in St Ives

Ready to talk about your land in St Ives?

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248