Option agreements for land in Surrey
Considering an option agreement for land in Surrey? 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
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Surrey
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in Surrey at a glance
Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Surrey Hills National Landscape covers much of the rest.
| County | Surrey |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 19 |
| Main town | Woking |
| Example postcode districts | CR3, GU1, GU7, GU9, GU15 |
| 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 Surrey
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Land needing access or infrastructure to be unlocked
- 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.
What to check in an option agreement
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.
Land an option agreement works for in Surrey
Green belt and grey belt land in Surrey
Common for green belt land promoted through a local plan review.
Building plots in Surrey
Rarely needed for single plots.
Garage sites in Surrey
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Surrey
Useful where vacant possession is some way off.
Inherited and probate land in Surrey
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
Landlocked land and access problems in Surrey
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
From first call to completion
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.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
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.
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 rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Photos of the land and its access
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.
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 Surrey?
Yes. We consider land across Surrey, from Woking 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 Surrey
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Surrey
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.