0800 088 6248 Get an offer
Land we buyWays to sellAreasGuidesAbout Contact Get an offer

Option agreements for land in Southampton

Before you agree an option agreement on land near Southampton, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.

An option can capture more of your land's value where it needs a long planning journey, but the details matter. We explain every term before you commit.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • No pressure to decide

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Land around Southampton

Our appraisals for Southampton start with the SO15 postcode district and the OS grid square SU41, then widen out to Hythe, Totton and Eastleigh, all within about 5 miles.

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

TownSouthampton
CountyHampshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSO15
OS grid squareSU41
Nearest towns we coverHythe (3 mi), Totton (4 mi), Eastleigh (5 mi)
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

Who an option agreement works best for

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Holdings where several owners need to work together
  • Owners who want to keep farming until development
  • Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve

An option can capture more of your land's value where it needs a long planning journey, but the details matter. We explain every term before you commit.

What to check in an option agreement

Purchase price

Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.

Term

How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.

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 Southampton that an option agreement suits

Land without planning permission in Southampton

We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.

Large strategic sites in Southampton

The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.

Infill plots and gap sites in Southampton

Seldom needed for single infill plots.

Small sites in Southampton

Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.

How a sale works

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Hampshire

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 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
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access

Common questions

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.

Can I sell to someone else during the option?

Not usually. The option binds the land, and it's normally registered against your title.

Do you cover the villages around Southampton?

Yes. Villages between Southampton, Hythe and Totton often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Nearby towns

Other land in Southampton

Find out what we'd pay for your land near Southampton

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248