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Option agreements for land in Salisbury

For owners in Salisbury and the SP1 area, an option agreement is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

If your land could be allocated in a future local plan, an option keeps it moving towards development without you funding the work.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Independent advice encouraged

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Land around Salisbury

Salisbury lies in Wiltshire, about 34 miles south of Swindon. Nearby, we also look at land around Verwood (14 miles), Andover (16 miles) and Totton (17 miles).

Salisbury Plain, the Cotswolds, North Wessex Downs and Cranborne Chase, with growth around Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury.

TownSalisbury
CountyWiltshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSP1
OS grid squareSU13
Nearest towns we coverVerwood (14 mi), Andover (16 mi), Totton (17 mi)
Distance from SwindonAbout 34 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

Who an option agreement works best for

  • 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
  • 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.

Minimum price

A floor that protects you if values fall.

Term

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

Exercise triggers

What has to happen before we can buy.

How a sale works

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  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. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Wiltshire

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.

When the land isn't straightforward

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 rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Your questions answered

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.

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.

Can you visit land near Salisbury?

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.

Get a straight answer about your land

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