Option agreements for land in Devon
We offer an option agreement on land across Devon, including sites around Plymouth, Exeter and Paignton.
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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
Get an offer for land in Devon
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Devon at a glance
A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.
| County | Devon |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 11 |
| Main town | Plymouth |
| Example postcode districts | EX2, EX8, EX16, EX31, EX39 |
| 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 |
When an option agreement suits land in Devon
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- 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
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 an option agreement works for in Devon
Farmland and agricultural land in Devon
Common for edge-of-town farmland promoted through the local plan.
Garden land and backland in Devon
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Infill plots and gap sites in Devon
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Garage sites in Devon
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Devon
Useful where vacant possession is some way off.
Landlocked land and access problems in Devon
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
How a sale works
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.
Planning and legal points for land in Devon
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
- The address or postcode
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Questions from landowners in Devon
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 Devon?
Yes. We consider land across Devon, from Plymouth 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 Devon
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Devon
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.