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Option agreements for land in Leatherhead

If you own land near Leatherhead, you may be wondering whether an option agreement would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.

An option agreement gives a buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy land within a set period, usually once planning permission is obtained. The landowner receives an option fee up front and, if the option is exercised, a price normally based on market value with permission, less agreed deductions.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • No pressure to decide
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Where Leatherhead sits

Land around Leatherhead falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Epsom, 4 miles away, and Ewell, 5 miles away, and Woking is 10 miles away.

Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Surrey Hills National Landscape covers much of the rest.

TownLeatherhead
CountySurrey
CountryEngland
Postcode districtKT22
OS grid squareTQ15
Nearest towns we coverEpsom (4 mi), Ewell (5 mi), Esher (5 mi)
Distance from WokingAbout 10 miles 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

Is an option agreement right for your land?

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
  • 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.

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.

Minimum price

A floor that protects you if values fall.

Deductions

Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.

Land near Leatherhead that an option agreement suits

Land with planning permission in Leatherhead

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Small sites in Leatherhead

Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.

Brownfield land in Leatherhead

Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.

Landlocked land and access problems in Leatherhead

Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.

What happens next

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  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.

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'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

  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • 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.

Do I keep the option fee if you don't buy?

Normally, yes. The terms are set out in the agreement.

Can I sell to someone else during the option?

Not usually. The option binds the land, and it's normally registered against your title.

Can you visit land near Leatherhead?

Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.

Nearby towns

Other land types and routes

Ready to talk about your land in Leatherhead?

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248