Option agreements for land in Bootle
For owners in Bootle and the L20 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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Bootle?
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Bootle at a glance
Our appraisals for Bootle start with the L20 postcode district and the OS grid square SJ39, then widen out to Litherland, Wallasey and Liverpool, all within about 4 miles.
Largely urban, with substantial brownfield land in Liverpool and the surrounding boroughs and green belt around the edges.
| Town | Bootle |
|---|---|
| County | Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | L20 |
| OS grid square | SJ39 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Litherland (1 mi), Wallasey (4 mi), Liverpool (4 mi) |
| Distance from Liverpool | About 4 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
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Owners who want to keep farming until development
Options are the usual way to bring larger sites forward. They let us invest in planning while you keep ownership and the use of your land.
What to check in an option agreement
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.
Your obligations
Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.
Land near Bootle that an option agreement suits
Development land in Bootle
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Land without planning permission in Bootle
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Large strategic sites in Bootle
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Landlocked land and access problems in Bootle
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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
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.
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 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
- Any planning applications or letters
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
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.
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 Bootle?
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
More land we buy in Bootle
- 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 Bootle
- Option agreements in Merseyside
Get a straight answer about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.