Option agreements for land in Chippenham
If you own land near Chippenham, 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.
If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- We fund the planning work
Selling land near Chippenham?
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Where Chippenham sits
Chippenham (SN15) sits in OS grid square ST97, roughly 16 miles south-west of Swindon. Sites between here and Neston or Melksham are just as much of interest to us.
Salisbury Plain, the Cotswolds, North Wessex Downs and Cranborne Chase, with growth around Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury.
| Town | Chippenham |
|---|---|
| County | Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | SN15 |
| OS grid square | ST97 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Neston (5 mi), Calne (5 mi), Melksham (6 mi) |
| Distance from Swindon | About 16 miles south-west |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | Option fee now, price when the option is exercised |
| Planning costs | Ours, sometimes recoverable from the price |
Who an option agreement works best for
- Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
- Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
- Holdings where several owners need to work together
- Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve
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.
The terms that matter
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.
Exercise triggers
What has to happen before we can buy.
Your obligations
Agreements set what you can and can't do with the land in the meantime.
Land near Chippenham that an option agreement suits
Land without planning permission in Chippenham
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Building plots in Chippenham
Rarely needed for single plots.
Infill plots and gap sites in Chippenham
Seldom needed for single infill plots.
Garage sites in Chippenham
Rarely needed unless several garage owners are involved.
How a sale works
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.
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'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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- Photos of the land and its access
Common questions
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.
How long do options last?
It varies with the site. Several years is typical for land needing local plan allocation, often with extension rights.
How do I get an offer for land in Chippenham?
Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Joint ventures
- All land in Chippenham
- Option agreements in Wiltshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Chippenham
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.