Option agreements for land in Hampshire
For landowners in Hampshire, an option agreement is one of four ways to sell to us. Here's how it works there.
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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
Get an offer for land in Hampshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Hampshire at a glance
Home to the New Forest and part of the South Downs National Park, with growth around Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke and the market towns.
| County | Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 18 |
| Main town | Southampton |
| Example postcode districts | BH25, GU11, GU12, GU13, GU35 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Timescale | Often several years |
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
- Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
- Owners who want to keep farming until development
- 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.
The terms that matter
Option fee
A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.
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.
Land an option agreement works for in Hampshire
Land without planning permission in Hampshire
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Paddocks and equestrian land in Hampshire
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Barns and rural buildings in Hampshire
Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.
Building plots in Hampshire
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garage sites in Hampshire
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Inherited and probate land in Hampshire
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
What happens next
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
You want to be sure we'll actually pursue planning
Agreements can include obligations to use reasonable endeavours and set milestones.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Questions from landowners in Hampshire
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 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.
Do you buy land in Hampshire?
Yes. We consider land across Hampshire, from Southampton 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 Hampshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Hampshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.