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.
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.
| Town | Bideford |
|---|---|
| County | Devon |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | EX39 |
| OS grid square | SS42 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Barnstaple (8 mi), Tiverton (32 mi), Exeter (36 mi) |
| Distance from Plymouth | About 45 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Planning costs | Ours, sometimes recoverable from the price |

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.
Land near Bideford that an option agreement suits
Land for affordable homes in Bideford
Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.
Barns and rural buildings in Bideford
Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.
Small sites in Bideford
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Garage sites in Bideford
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
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.
Other land in Bideford
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Joint ventures
- All land in Bideford
- Option agreements in Devon
Ready to talk about your land in Bideford?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.