Option agreements for land in Old Trafford
If you own land in or around Old Trafford, option agreements is one of four ways you can sell it to us. Here's how it works and when it makes sense.
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.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- We fund the planning work
Get an offer for land in Old Trafford
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Old Trafford at a glance
Land around Old Trafford falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Stretford, 1 mile away, and Salford, 2 miles away, and Manchester is 3 miles away.
A dense urban core where most new homes are on brownfield land, with green belt on the edges climbing towards the Pennines.
| Town | Old Trafford |
|---|---|
| County | Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | M16 |
| OS grid square | SJ89 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Stretford (1 mi), Salford (2 mi), Eccles (3 mi) |
| Distance from Manchester | About 3 miles south-west |
| 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 |
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
- Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve
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.
What to check in an option agreement
Purchase price
Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.
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 Old Trafford that an option agreement suits
Paddocks and equestrian land in Old Trafford
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Barns and rural buildings in Old Trafford
Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.
Infill plots and gap sites in Old Trafford
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Inherited and probate land in Old Trafford
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
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.
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'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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- 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.
How is the price set?
Usually as a percentage of the land's market value once permission is granted, minus agreed costs, with a minimum price. The percentage and deductions are negotiated.
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 Old Trafford?
Yes. We consider land in and around Old Trafford and across Greater Manchester. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Other land in Old Trafford
- 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 Old Trafford
- Option agreements in Greater Manchester
Get a straight answer about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.