Option agreements for land in West Sussex
Considering an option agreement for land in West Sussex? This page sets out the terms that matter and the rules that apply in England.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in West Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in West Sussex at a glance
The South Downs National Park, Chichester Harbour and High Weald National Landscapes, and water neutrality rules that have affected new homes in the north of the county.
| County | West Sussex |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | Crawley |
| Example postcode districts | BN11, BN17, BN43, PO19, PO21 |
| 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 West Sussex
- 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
- 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.
What to check in an option agreement
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.
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 West Sussex
Land without planning permission in West Sussex
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Large strategic sites in West Sussex
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Farmland and agricultural land in West Sussex
Common for edge-of-town farmland promoted through the local plan.
Paddocks and equestrian land in West Sussex
Useful where the paddock could form part of a wider site.
Barns and rural buildings in West Sussex
Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.
Small sites in West Sussex
Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.
From first call to completion
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
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.
What England's rules mean for your land
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.
What's the difference between an option and a promotion agreement?
Under an option the buyer has the right to buy the land. Under a promotion agreement a promoter gets permission and then sells the land on the open market, taking a share of the proceeds. We offer options, not promotion agreements.
Do you buy land in West Sussex?
Yes. We consider land across West Sussex, from Crawley 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 West Sussex
Find out what we'd pay for your land in West Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.