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Option agreements for land in Canterbury

If you own land near Canterbury, you may be wondering whether an option agreement would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.

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
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

Selling land near Canterbury?

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

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

Land around Canterbury

Canterbury lies in Kent, about 24 miles east of Maidstone. Nearby, we also look at land around Whitstable (6 miles), Herne Bay (7 miles) and Faversham (9 miles).

Metropolitan Green Belt in the west, the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes, and growth around Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway towns.

TownCanterbury
CountyKent
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCT1
OS grid squareTR15
Nearest towns we coverWhitstable (6 mi), Herne Bay (7 mi), Faversham (9 mi)
Distance from MaidstoneAbout 24 miles 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?

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • Owners who want to keep farming until development
  • Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve

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

The terms that matter

Option fee

A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.

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.

Deductions

Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.

Land near Canterbury that an option agreement suits

Land for affordable homes in Canterbury

Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.

Farmland and agricultural land in Canterbury

Common for edge-of-town farmland promoted through the local plan.

Paddocks and equestrian land in Canterbury

Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.

Garden land and backland in Canterbury

Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.

How a sale works

  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. Solicitors complete the sale

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

Planning and legal points for land in Kent

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

  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Your questions answered

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.

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.

Can you visit land near Canterbury?

Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.

Nearby towns

Other land in Canterbury

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

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248