Option agreements for land in North Yorkshire
Considering an option agreement for land in North Yorkshire? This page sets out the terms that matter and the rules that apply in England.
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No pressure to decide
- We fund the planning work
Get an offer for land in North Yorkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in North Yorkshire at a glance
England's largest county, taking in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, with green belt around York.
| County | North Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | York |
| Example postcode districts | DL6, HG1, TS1, TS10, TS14 |
| 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 |
When an option agreement suits land in North Yorkshire
- 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
- 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.
Term
How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.
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 an option agreement works for in North Yorkshire
Development land in North Yorkshire
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Large strategic sites in North Yorkshire
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Paddocks and equestrian land in North Yorkshire
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Small sites in North Yorkshire
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Garage sites in North Yorkshire
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Brownfield land in North Yorkshire
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
How a sale works
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.
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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 plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
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.
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.
Do you buy land in North Yorkshire?
Yes. We consider land across North Yorkshire, from York 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 North Yorkshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in North Yorkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.