Option agreements for land in Manchester
Before you agree an option agreement on land near Manchester, 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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Manchester
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Where Manchester sits
Manchester (M1) sits in OS grid square SJ89, where it is the main town we cover. Sites between here and Salford or Failsworth are just as much of interest to us.
| Town | Manchester |
|---|---|
| County | Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | M1 |
| OS grid square | SJ89 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Salford (2 mi), Old Trafford (3 mi), Failsworth (3 mi) |
| 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 |
When an option agreement suits land near Manchester
- 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
- 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.
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.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land near Manchester that an option agreement suits
Land without planning permission in Manchester
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Small sites in Manchester
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Garage sites in Manchester
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Brownfield land in Manchester
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
How a sale works
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
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.
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'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 plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
Your questions answered
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.
Can you visit land near Manchester?
Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.
More land we buy in Manchester
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- 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 Manchester
- Option agreements in Greater Manchester
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Manchester
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.