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Option agreements for land in Hailsham

Before you agree an option agreement on land near Hailsham, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.

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.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

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

Hailsham at a glance

Our appraisals for Hailsham start with the BN27 postcode district and the OS grid square TQ50, then widen out to Eastbourne, Seaford and Bexhill-on-Sea, all within about 9 miles.

Much of the county lies in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald National Landscape, which limits greenfield development outside the towns.

TownHailsham
CountyEast Sussex
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBN27
OS grid squareTQ50
Nearest towns we coverEastbourne (7 mi), Seaford (9 mi), Bexhill-on-Sea (9 mi)
Distance from BrightonAbout 17 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 Hailsham

  • 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

Options are the usual way to bring larger sites forward. They let us invest in planning while you keep ownership and the use of your land.

The terms that matter

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.

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. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

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

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
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

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 Hailsham?

Yes. Villages between Hailsham, Eastbourne and Seaford often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Ready to talk about your land in Hailsham?

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