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Option agreements for land in Rickmansworth

We offer an option agreement on land across Hertfordshire, including sites around Rickmansworth, Watford and Chalfont St Peter.

If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged

Selling land near Rickmansworth?

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

Where Rickmansworth sits

Our appraisals for Rickmansworth start with the WD3 postcode district and the OS grid square TQ09, then widen out to Watford, Chalfont St Peter and North Watford, all within about 5 miles.

TownRickmansworth
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtWD3
OS grid squareTQ09
Nearest towns we coverWatford (4 mi), Chalfont St Peter (4 mi), North Watford (5 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 4 miles west
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

When an option agreement suits land near Rickmansworth

  • 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.

How the money works

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.

Your obligations

Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.

From first call to completion

  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. We put an offer in writing

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

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Rules that apply in England

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.

Awkward details we deal with

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
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

What people ask us about an option agreement

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.

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 Rickmansworth?

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

Ready to talk about your land in Rickmansworth?

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.