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Option agreements for land in Torquay

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

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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged

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

Land around Torquay

From Torquay, it's 3 miles to Paignton and 6 miles to Newton Abbot. 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.

TownTorquay
CountyDevon
CountryEngland
Postcode districtTQ2
OS grid squareSX96
Nearest towns we coverPaignton (3 mi), Newton Abbot (6 mi), Exmouth (12 mi)
Distance from PlymouthAbout 28 miles 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

When an option agreement suits land near Torquay

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • 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

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

Purchase price

Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.

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.

How a sale works

  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.

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'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

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access

What people ask us about an option agreement

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.

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 cover the villages around Torquay?

Yes. Villages between Torquay, Paignton and Newton Abbot often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Get a straight answer about your land

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.