Option agreements for land in East Sussex
We offer an option agreement on land across East Sussex, including sites around Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- We fund the planning work
Get an offer for land in East Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in East Sussex at a glance
Much of the county lies in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald National Landscape, which limits greenfield development outside the towns.
| County | East Sussex |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | Brighton |
| Example postcode districts | BN2, BN3, BN21, BN25, BN27 |
| 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 |
Is an option agreement right for your land?
- 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
- 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.
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.
Deductions
Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.
Your obligations
Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.
Land an option agreement works for in East Sussex
Land with planning permission in East Sussex
Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.
Large strategic sites in East Sussex
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Garden land and backland in East Sussex
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Infill plots and gap sites in East Sussex
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Inherited and probate land in East Sussex
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
Landlocked land and access problems in East Sussex
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
How a sale works
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.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Any planning applications or letters
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
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.
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 East Sussex?
Yes. We consider land across East Sussex, from Brighton 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 East Sussex
Find out what we'd pay for your land in East Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.