Option agreements for land in Islington
If you own land near Islington, you may be wondering whether an option agreement would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
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Where Islington sits
Islington lies in Greater London, roughly 2 miles north-east of central London. Nearby, we also look at land around Highbury (1 mile), Holloway (1 mile) and Camden Town (2 miles).
Land is scarce and mostly brownfield. The outer boroughs contain Metropolitan Green Belt and metropolitan open land, both closely protected.
| Town | Islington |
|---|---|
| County | Greater London |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | EC1P |
| OS grid square | TQ38 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Highbury (1 mi), Holloway (1 mi), Camden Town (2 mi) |
| Distance from central London | About 2 miles north-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Planning costs | Ours, sometimes recoverable from the price |
Is an option agreement right for your land?
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Owners who want to keep farming until development
- 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.
How the money works
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
Deductions
Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.
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 near Islington that an option agreement suits
Land with planning permission in Islington
Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.
Land without planning permission in Islington
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Garden land and backland in Islington
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Landlocked land and access problems in Islington
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
From first call to completion
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.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Planning and legal points for land in Greater London
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
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- 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 cover the villages around Islington?
Yes. Villages between Islington, Highbury and Holloway often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Also near Islington
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Joint ventures
- All land in Islington
- Option agreements in Greater London
Ready to talk about your land in Islington?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.