Option agreements for land in Oxfordshire
Considering an option agreement for land in Oxfordshire? This page sets out the terms that matter and the rules that apply in England.
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.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
- We fund the planning work
Get an offer for land in Oxfordshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Oxfordshire at a glance
The Cotswolds and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes, the Oxford green belt, and growth at towns such as Bicester, Didcot and Banbury.
| County | Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | Oxford |
| Example postcode districts | OX1, OX4, OX5, OX11, OX12 |
| 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
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- 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
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.
How the money works
Purchase price
Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.
Minimum price
A floor that protects you if values fall.
Deductions
Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.
Your obligations
Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.
Land an option agreement works for in Oxfordshire
Development land in Oxfordshire
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Building plots in Oxfordshire
Rarely needed for single plots.
Infill plots and gap sites in Oxfordshire
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Small sites in Oxfordshire
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
Brownfield land in Oxfordshire
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
Landlocked land and access problems in Oxfordshire
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
What happens next
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.
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
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
- The address or postcode
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Any planning applications or letters
- Photos of the land and its access
Questions from landowners in Oxfordshire
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.
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 Oxfordshire?
Yes. We consider land across Oxfordshire, from Oxford 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 Oxfordshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Oxfordshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.