0800 088 6248 Get an offer
Land we buyWays to sellAreasGuidesAbout Contact Get an offer

Option agreements for land in Greenwich

For owners in Greenwich and the SE10 area, an option agreement is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

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.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • No pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

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

Where Greenwich sits

Greenwich (SE10) sits in OS grid square TQ37, roughly 5 miles east of central London. Sites between here and Blackheath or Catford are just as much of interest to us.

TownGreenwich
CountyGreater London
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSE10
OS grid squareTQ37
Nearest towns we coverBlackheath (1 mi), Canary Wharf (2 mi), Catford (2 mi)
Distance from central LondonAbout 5 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 Greenwich

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • 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

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

The terms that matter

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.

Deductions

Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.

Land near Greenwich that an option agreement suits

Land without planning permission in Greenwich

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

Building plots in Greenwich

Rarely needed for single plots.

Infill plots and gap sites in Greenwich

Seldom needed for single infill plots.

Landlocked land and access problems in Greenwich

Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

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

  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.

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'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

  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

What people ask us about an option agreement

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.

Can I sell to someone else during the option?

Not usually. The option binds the land, and it's normally registered against your title.

Do you buy land in Greenwich?

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

Also near Greenwich

More land we buy in Greenwich

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