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For landowners · Glasgow & the Clyde

Land Option Agreements in Renfrew

How does a land option agreement work in Renfrew?

A land option agreement in Renfrew gives a developer the right, but not the obligation, to buy your land within a fixed period, normally once planning permission is granted. The developer pays for the planning work. When the option is exercised, the price is usually market value with that permission, less an agreed discount and agreed costs.

Development surveyor walking a field boundary hedge with a tabletRenfrew · PA4

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  • Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
  • Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
  • Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
  • Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
  • UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI

Land we look at around Renfrew

Renfrew (PA4) is one of the Glasgow & the Clyde towns we cover, about 5 miles west of Glasgow. If your land sits between towns, Clydebank, Paisley and Bearsden are the closest neighbouring places on our list.

In and around Renfrew, the land we appraise ranges from farmland next to the settlement boundary to paddocks on the edge of Renfrew, including backland plots with a workable access. Planning in Renfrew follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.

Send us a postcode in or near PA4 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Our approach in Renfrew

Your legal fees paid

On option agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms, so you can instruct your own solicitor to review every clause.

Price set by valuation

The purchase price is usually market value with planning, agreed between the parties or set by an independent surveyor, less a negotiated discount. A minimum price clause can put a floor under the figure.

Longstop dates and extensions

The option usually ends on a fixed date, sometimes with an extension if an application or appeal is still running. Clear limits stop your land being tied up for longer than you agreed.

Keep using your land

You normally stay in possession during the option. Farming, grazing or existing lettings can usually continue, subject to access for surveys and limits on granting new long-term tenancies.

The Scottish system, as it applies in Renfrew

In Scotland, planning applications for land around Renfrew are decided by the council as planning authority, using National Planning Framework 4 and the Local Development Plan, which together form the statutory development plan. Instead of outline permission, Scotland uses planning permission in principle, followed by approval of matters specified in conditions. Land to Homes can buy suitable sites directly or promote land through planning, and every conversation starts with a free site appraisal.

In Scotland, an option is a personal contract and cannot be registered as a right in the land itself. Developers usually protect their position with a standard security registered with Registers of Scotland. When the option is exercised, the sale is concluded by missives and the buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.

Key rules in Renfrew
In-principle consentPlanning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)
Land registrationRegisters of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland)
Developer contributionsSection 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments

Questions about Land Option Agreements in Renfrew

What happens if planning is refused during an option?

The developer can usually appeal, submit a revised scheme or wait for a new local plan, as long as the option term allows. If no suitable permission is secured by the end date, the option lapses and you are free to deal with the land again, normally keeping any premium already paid.

What discount do developers take on a land option?

Options usually include a discount from market value to reflect the developer's cost and risk in securing planning. The level is negotiated case by case and there is no standard figure. Compare it alongside the deductions, minimum price and term, because a modest discount can be undone by wide deductions.

Can I sell my land while it is under option?

Not without dealing with the option first. The developer's rights are normally protected against your title, so a buyer would take the land subject to them. Selling to the option holder or negotiating a release are the usual routes. Your solicitor will explain the effect where your land is.

Is an option payment taxable?

It can be. Receiving an option payment can have tax consequences when you receive it, not only when the land is finally sold, and the later sale may be looked at together with it. The position depends on your circumstances, so speak to an accountant before you sign.

Is Renfrew an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Renfrew and elsewhere in Glasgow & the Clyde, including Greenock, Paisley and Glasgow. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.

Read more: Land Option Agreements · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know

Land Option Agreements elsewhere in Glasgow & the Clyde

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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