Option agreements for land in West Yorkshire
For landowners in West Yorkshire, an option agreement is one of four ways to sell to us. Here's how it works there.
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
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in West Yorkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Option agreements in West Yorkshire at a glance
Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax, with green belt between the towns and Pennine moorland to the west.
| County | West Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 19 |
| Main town | Leeds |
| Example postcode districts | BD1, BD18, BD19, BD21, HD1 |
| 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 |
Who an option agreement works best for
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Land being considered in a local plan review
- 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
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.
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.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Land an option agreement works for in West Yorkshire
Land with planning permission in West Yorkshire
Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.
Green belt and grey belt land in West Yorkshire
Common for green belt land promoted through a local plan review.
Barns and rural buildings in West Yorkshire
Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.
Building plots in West Yorkshire
Rarely needed for single plots.
Brownfield land in West Yorkshire
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
Inherited and probate land in West Yorkshire
Can suit families who want to hold on while planning is explored.
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.
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.
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're worried about the deductions
Ask for a clear list and a cap on what can be deducted. We'll explain each one.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
Common questions
Do I keep the option fee if you don't buy?
Normally, yes. The terms are set out in the agreement.
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.
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 West Yorkshire?
Yes. We consider land across West Yorkshire, from Leeds 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 Yorkshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in West Yorkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.