Option agreements for land in Gillingham
For owners in Gillingham and the ME7 area, an option agreement is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Gillingham?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land around Gillingham
From Gillingham, it's 1 mile to Chatham and 2 miles to Rochester. We buy land across that whole stretch of Kent, not only within the town.
Metropolitan Green Belt in the west, the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes, and growth around Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway towns.
| Town | Gillingham |
|---|---|
| County | Kent |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | ME7 |
| OS grid square | TQ76 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Chatham (1 mi), Rochester (2 mi), Strood (3 mi) |
| Distance from Maidstone | About 9 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Planning costs | Ours, sometimes recoverable from the price |
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
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Owners who want to keep farming until development
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.
The terms that matter
Option fee
A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land near Gillingham that an option agreement suits
Building plots in Gillingham
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garden land and backland in Gillingham
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Garage sites in Gillingham
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Brownfield land in Gillingham
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
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.
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 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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Your questions answered
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.
Can I sell to someone else during the option?
Not usually. The option binds the land, and it's normally registered against your title.
How do I get an offer for land in Gillingham?
Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Joint ventures
- All land in Gillingham
- Option agreements in Kent
Ready to talk about your land in Gillingham?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.