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Option agreements for land in Shoreham-by-Sea

If you own land near Shoreham-by-Sea, 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.

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
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

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

Where Shoreham-by-Sea sits

From Shoreham-by-Sea, it's 3 miles to Portslade and 5 miles to Worthing. We buy land across that whole stretch of West Sussex, not only within the town.

TownShoreham-by-Sea
CountyWest Sussex
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBN43
OS grid squareTQ20
Nearest towns we coverPortslade (3 mi), Worthing (5 mi), Hove (5 mi)
Distance from CrawleyAbout 20 miles south
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?

  • 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
  • Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve

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.

The terms that matter

Purchase price

Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.

Term

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

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 near Shoreham-by-Sea that an option agreement suits

Development land in Shoreham-by-Sea

Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.

Land without planning permission in Shoreham-by-Sea

We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.

Large strategic sites in Shoreham-by-Sea

The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.

Barns and rural buildings in Shoreham-by-Sea

Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.

From first call to completion

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  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.

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.

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
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Your questions answered

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.

Do you buy land in Shoreham-by-Sea?

Yes. We consider land in and around Shoreham-by-Sea and across West Sussex. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Option agreements near Shoreham-by-Sea

Other land types and routes

Get a straight answer about your land

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248