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Option agreements for land in Harwich

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

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.

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

Selling land near Harwich?

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

Harwich at a glance

From Harwich, it's 3 miles to Felixstowe and 10 miles to Ipswich. We buy land across that whole stretch of Essex, not only within the town.

TownHarwich
CountyEssex
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCO12
OS grid squareTM23
Nearest towns we coverFelixstowe (3 mi), Ipswich (10 mi), Clacton-on-Sea (12 mi)
Distance from Southend-on-SeaAbout 37 miles north-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

Is an option agreement right for your land?

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
  • Holdings where several owners need to work together
  • Owners who want to keep farming until development

If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.

How the money works

Option fee

A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.

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.

Land near Harwich that an option agreement suits

Farmland and agricultural land in Harwich

Common for edge-of-town farmland promoted through the local plan.

Garden land and backland in Harwich

Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.

Infill plots and gap sites in Harwich

Seldom needed for single infill plots.

Brownfield land in Harwich

Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.

From first call to completion

  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.

Planning and legal points for land in Essex

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.

Awkward details we deal with

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 want to be sure we'll actually pursue planning

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

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access

Your questions answered

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.

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 Harwich?

Yes. We consider land in and around Harwich and across Essex. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Nearby towns

More land we buy in Harwich

Get a straight answer about your land

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