Option agreements for land in Lincoln
We offer an option agreement on land across Lincolnshire, including sites around Lincoln, Gainsborough and Newark-on-Trent.
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
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Lincoln
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Lincoln at a glance
Lincoln lies in Lincolnshire, where it is the main town we cover. Nearby, we also look at land around Gainsborough (14 miles), Newark-on-Trent (16 miles) and Retford (18 miles).
A large arable county with the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape and wide low-lying areas where flood risk guides new building.
| Town | Lincoln |
|---|---|
| County | Lincolnshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | LN2 |
| OS grid square | SK97 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Gainsborough (14 mi), Newark-on-Trent (16 mi), Retford (18 mi) |
| 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
- 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
- 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.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Deductions
Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land near Lincoln that an option agreement suits
Land for affordable homes in Lincoln
Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.
Paddocks and equestrian land in Lincoln
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Building plots in Lincoln
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garden land and backland in Lincoln
Useful when several neighbours' gardens are being assembled.
How a sale works
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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Planning and legal points for land in Lincolnshire
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 plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
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.
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.
How do I get an offer for land in Lincoln?
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.
Also near Lincoln
Other land in Lincoln
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- 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 Lincoln
- Option agreements in Lincolnshire
Ready to talk about your land in Lincoln?
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