Option agreements for land in Lancashire
For landowners in Lancashire, an option agreement is one of four ways to sell to us. Here's how it works there.
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Lancashire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Lancashire at a glance
Farmland on the coastal plain, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape inland, and green belt around Preston, Blackpool and the east Lancashire towns.
| County | Lancashire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 18 |
| Main town | Preston |
| Example postcode districts | BB1, BB3, BB4, BB5, BB8 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Timescale | Often several years |
Who an option agreement works best for
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
- 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.
How the money works
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 an option agreement works for in Lancashire
Land with planning permission in Lancashire
Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.
Land without planning permission in Lancashire
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Paddocks and equestrian land in Lancashire
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Building plots in Lancashire
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garden land and backland in Lancashire
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
Landlocked land and access problems in Lancashire
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
From first call to completion
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
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're worried about the deductions
Ask for a clear list and a cap on what can be deducted. We'll explain each one.
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
- Your title number, if you know it
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
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 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 buy land in Lancashire?
Yes. We consider land across Lancashire, from Preston to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.
Option agreements by town in Lancashire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Lancashire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.