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Option agreements for land in Bideford

Choosing how to sell matters as much as choosing who to sell to. For land near Bideford, an option agreement trades certainty and timing in a particular way.

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

Tell us about your land

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

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

Where Bideford sits

From Bideford, it's 8 miles to Barnstaple and 32 miles to Tiverton. We buy land across that whole stretch of Devon, not only within the town.

A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.

TownBideford
CountyDevon
CountryEngland
Postcode districtEX39
OS grid squareSS42
Nearest towns we coverBarnstaple (8 mi), Tiverton (32 mi), Exeter (36 mi)
Distance from PlymouthAbout 45 miles north
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

  • 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
  • Owners who want to keep farming until development

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

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.

Deductions

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

What happens next

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We check it properly

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

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  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.

Common problems, and how we handle them

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
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Bideford

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.

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 Bideford?

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.

Ready to talk about your land in Bideford?

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