Option agreements for land in Sevenoaks
Before you agree an option agreement on land near Sevenoaks, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.
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
Selling land near Sevenoaks?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Where Sevenoaks sits
Land around Sevenoaks falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Tonbridge, 6 miles away, and Swanley, 9 miles away, and Maidstone is 14 miles away.
Metropolitan Green Belt in the west, the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes, and growth around Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway towns.
| Town | Sevenoaks |
|---|---|
| County | Kent |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | TN13 |
| OS grid square | TQ55 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Tonbridge (6 mi), Swanley (9 mi), Royal Tunbridge Wells (10 mi) |
| Distance from Maidstone | About 14 miles west |
| 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 |
When an option agreement suits land near Sevenoaks
- 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
- 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.
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.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land near Sevenoaks that an option agreement suits
Garden land and backland in Sevenoaks
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Small sites in Sevenoaks
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Inherited and probate land in Sevenoaks
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
Landlocked land and access problems in Sevenoaks
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
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.
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.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
What people ask us about an option agreement
What is an option agreement?
A contract that gives the buyer the right to buy your land within a set period, usually after planning permission is granted. You receive an option fee now and the purchase price if the option is exercised.
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.
Do you buy land in Sevenoaks?
Yes. We consider land in and around Sevenoaks and across Kent. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
More land we buy in Sevenoaks
- 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 Sevenoaks
- Option agreements in Kent
Ready to talk about your land in Sevenoaks?
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.