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Option agreements for land in Greater London

We offer an option agreement on land across Greater London, including sites around Islington, Westminster and Bexley.

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.

  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

Get an offer for land in Greater London

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Option agreements in Greater London at a glance

Land is scarce and mostly brownfield. The outer boroughs contain Metropolitan Green Belt and metropolitan open land, both closely protected.

CountyGreater London
CountryEngland
Towns we cover here81
Main towncentral London
Example postcode districtsBR3, CR0, CR4, CR5, CR8
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOption fee now, price when the option is exercised
TimescaleOften several years
Two people in outdoor jackets walking along a hedgerow, one pointing across the field

Who an option agreement works best for

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • Holdings where several owners need to work together
  • Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
  • 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

Minimum price

A floor that protects you if values fall.

Term

How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.

Exercise triggers

What has to happen before we can buy.

Your obligations

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

Land an option agreement works for in Greater London

Land with planning permission in Greater London

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

Land without planning permission in Greater London

We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.

Land for affordable homes in Greater London

Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.

Paddocks and equestrian land in Greater London

Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.

Building plots in Greater London

Rarely needed for single plots.

Infill plots and gap sites in Greater London

Seldom needed for single infill plots.

From first call to completion

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  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.

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.

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'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
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Common questions

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.

How long do options last?

It varies with the site. Several years is typical for land needing local plan allocation, often with extension rights.

Do you buy land in Greater London?

Yes. We consider land across Greater London, from central London 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 Greater London

Nearby counties

Find out what we'd pay for your land in Greater London

Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248