Part of the S&K Group · Land, planning and new homesEngland · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland0800 088 6248
Land to Homes emblem: two house roofs over green fieldsLANDTOHOMES
For landowners · Nottinghamshire

Land Option Agreements in Mansfield

How does a land option agreement work in Mansfield?

Think of an option on land in Mansfield as a reservation with conditions attached. You agree not to sell to anyone else for a set term. In return, Land to Homes funds the planning work and pays your reasonable legal fees, agreed up front in the heads of terms. If permission is granted, we can buy at the formula price you agreed.

Aerial view of long rear gardens behind 1930s semi-detached houses backing onto a paddockMansfield · NG18

Free site appraisal

Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.

Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.

  • 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 Mansfield

Mansfield (NG18) is one of the Nottinghamshire towns we cover, about 13 miles north of Nottingham. The nearest other places we cover are Sutton-in-Ashfield (3 miles), Kirkby-in-Ashfield (3 miles) and Hucknall (7 miles). Within England, Mansfield falls in the East Midlands region. From our Birmingham head office in Great Barr, Mansfield is about 50 miles away.

Around Mansfield we look at small holdings and pony paddocks, backland plots with a workable access and land behind street frontages. Because Mansfield is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Send us a postcode in or near NG18 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

How we work in Mansfield

Option premium on signing

Many options include a payment when the agreement is signed, in return for tying up the land. Whether it is deducted from the final price is a point to settle in the heads of terms.

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.

Right to buy, not obligation

The developer may buy if suitable planning is granted, but does not have to. You are bound not to sell elsewhere during the term, which is why its length and exit points matter so much.

Deductions agreed in advance

Costs such as planning obligations, abnormal ground works or infrastructure are often deducted from the price. The agreement should list exactly what can be deducted, so the price cannot be eroded later.

Planning and land rules in Mansfield

Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Mansfield, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.

In England, an option is usually protected by a notice on your title at HM Land Registry. Planning is pursued through the Local Plan or an application judged against the NPPF, and price deductions often cover Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy and, where it applies, the cost of meeting biodiversity net gain.

Key rules in Mansfield
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry.

Common questions in Mansfield

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.

What is an option premium?

It is a payment a developer may make when the option is signed, in return for exclusive rights over the land. The amount varies widely from site to site and is negotiated. Some agreements deduct it from the final purchase price, while others do not, so the heads of terms should say which applies.

What is the difference between an option and a promotion agreement?

Under an option, the developer buys the land itself at a formula price, so it benefits from a lower valuation. Under a promotion agreement, the promoter sells the land on the open market with you and takes a fee from the proceeds, so both sides want the highest price. Our guide compares the two in detail.

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.

Is Mansfield an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Mansfield and elsewhere in Nottinghamshire, including Worksop, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Newark on Trent. 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: Landowner joint ventures explained: sharing in the development

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.

CallFree appraisal