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Option agreements for land in Kettering

Choosing how to sell matters as much as choosing who to sell to. For land near Kettering, an option agreement trades certainty and timing in a particular way.

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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them

Tell us about your land

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Land around Kettering

Kettering (NN16) sits in OS grid square SP87, some 12 miles north-east of Northampton. Sites between here and Desborough or Corby are just as much of interest to us.

Rolling farmland and expanding towns such as Northampton, Corby and Kettering, with no designated green belt.

TownKettering
CountyNorthamptonshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtNN16
OS grid squareSP87
Nearest towns we coverDesborough (5 mi), Wellingborough (7 mi), Corby (7 mi)
Distance from NorthamptonAbout 12 miles north-east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOption fee now, price when the option is exercised
Planning costsOurs, sometimes recoverable from the price
Two people in outdoor jackets walking along a hedgerow, one pointing across the field

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

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

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.

Term

How long we have to secure permission and exercise the option.

Exercise triggers

What has to happen before we can buy.

How a sale works

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Northamptonshire

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'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

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

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 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.

Do you buy land in Kettering?

Yes. We consider land in and around Kettering and across Northamptonshire. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Ready to talk about your land in Kettering?

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.