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Option agreements for land in Rutland

Considering an option agreement for land in Rutland? 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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

Get an offer for land in Rutland

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

Option agreements in Rutland at a glance

England's smallest historic county: rural, centred on Oakham and Uppingham, with Rutland Water at its heart.

CountyRutland
CountryEngland
Towns we cover here1
Main townOakham
Example postcode districtsLE15
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOption fee now, price when the option is exercised
TimescaleOften several years
Two people in outdoor jackets walking along a hedgerow, one pointing across the field

Who an option agreement works best for

  • 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
  • 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.

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.

Term

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

Exercise triggers

What has to happen before we can buy.

From first call to completion

  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. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Rutland

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

What people ask us about an option agreement

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 Rutland?

Yes. We consider land across Rutland, from Oakham to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.

Find out what we'd pay for your land in Rutland

Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.