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Option agreements for land in Portsmouth

Choosing how to sell matters as much as choosing who to sell to. For land near Portsmouth, an option agreement trades certainty and timing in a particular way.

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
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Portsmouth at a glance

Our appraisals for Portsmouth start with the PO5 postcode district and the OS grid square SU60, then widen out to Gosport, Fareham and Ryde, all within about 6 miles.

Home to the New Forest and part of the South Downs National Park, with growth around Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke and the market towns.

TownPortsmouth
CountyHampshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtPO5
OS grid squareSU60
Nearest towns we coverGosport (2 mi), Fareham (5 mi), Ryde (6 mi)
Distance from SouthamptonAbout 15 miles south-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

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
  • Holdings where several owners need to work together
  • Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked

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

Minimum price

A floor that protects you if values fall.

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 near Portsmouth that an option agreement suits

Land with planning permission in Portsmouth

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Green belt and grey belt land in Portsmouth

Common for green belt land promoted through a local plan review.

Redundant commercial and industrial land in Portsmouth

Useful where vacant possession is some way off.

Inherited and probate land in Portsmouth

Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.

From first call to completion

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. 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.

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 rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Photos of the land and its access

Questions from landowners near Portsmouth

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.

What's the difference between an option and a promotion agreement?

Under an option the buyer has the right to buy the land. Under a promotion agreement a promoter gets permission and then sells the land on the open market, taking a share of the proceeds. We offer options, not promotion agreements.

Do you buy land in Portsmouth?

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

Option agreements near Portsmouth

More land we buy in Portsmouth

Get a straight answer about your land

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

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