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Option agreements for land in Ferndown

If you own land near Ferndown, you may be wondering whether an option agreement would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.

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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Ferndown at a glance

Our appraisals for Ferndown start with the BH22 postcode district and the OS grid square SU00, then widen out to Wimborne Minster, Verwood and Canford Heath, all within about 5 miles.

Chalk downland and coast, much of it inside the Dorset National Landscape, with the South East Dorset green belt around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

TownFerndown
CountyDorset
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBH22
OS grid squareSU00
Nearest towns we coverWimborne Minster (4 mi), Verwood (5 mi), Canford Heath (5 mi)
Distance from BournemouthAbout 6 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

  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • 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.

What to check in an option agreement

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.

Your obligations

Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.

Land near Ferndown that an option agreement suits

Land with planning permission in Ferndown

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Green belt and grey belt land in Ferndown

Common for green belt land promoted through a local plan review.

Garage sites in Ferndown

Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.

Landlocked land and access problems in Ferndown

Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.

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. You get a written offer

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

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

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.

Common problems, and how we handle them

You want to be sure we'll actually pursue planning

Agreements can include obligations to use reasonable endeavours and set milestones.

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
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Your questions answered

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.

Can you visit land near Ferndown?

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.

Also near Ferndown

Other land types and routes

Get a straight answer about your land

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248