Police stations and other police hereditaments

This publication is intended for Valuation Officers. It may contain links to internal resources that are not available through this version.

1. Scope

This instruction applies to hereditaments occupied by Territorial Police Forces in England and Wales and also those occupied by British Transport Police and Civil Nuclear Constabulary with the exception of police training colleges (see Rating Manual: Colleges of further education). In this respect the term police station should not be defined too narrowly but should be taken to include police headquarter buildings and training facilities (other than colleges).

2. List description and special category code

List Description: Police Station and Premises

SCat Code: 215 Suffix G

3. Responsible teams

This is a generalist class and responsibility for valuation will lie with the appropriate business unit. Queries of a complex nature arising from the valuation of individual properties should be referred to the National Valuation Unit (NVU) Class Lead via the Class Co-ordination Team (CCT).

4. Co-ordination

NVU Civic Team has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of this class. The CCT are responsible for the approach to and accuracy and consistency of valuations. The CCT will deliver Practice Notes describing the valuation basis for revaluation and provide advice as necessary during the life of the rating lists. Caseworkers have a responsibility to:

  • follow the advice given at all times
  • not depart from the guidance given on appeals or maintenance work without approval from the co-ordination team
  • seek advice from the co-ordination team should any issues arise that are not covered in this instruction

Police stations are a sui–generis class and consequently, as a general rule, only evidence relating to hereditaments in the same mode or category of use is pertinent. See:

  • Scottish and Newcastle (Retail) Ltd v Williams (VO) (RA 2000 P 119) and the subsequent Court of Appeal decision –Williams (VO) v Scottish and Newcastle Retail and Allied Domecq [RA 2001 P 41)
  • Re the appeal of Reeves (VO) RA 2007 P168
  • Dawkins (VO) v Royal Leamington Spa BC and Warwickshire County Council (1961) RVR 291.

See Rating Manual Section 2 Part 7 Appendix 2 thereof for guidance on mode and category of use at the material day.

However, in some circumstances it may be appropriate to have regard to rental evidence derived from other modes or categories of use such as general office use, particularly where the hereditament might reasonably be described as “offices occupied by the police”. Many police stations are now used for administrative purposes due to the centralisation of specialist uses. See 8. below and Re the appeal of Reeves (VO) RA 2007.

6. Survey requirements

6.1 Method of Measurement

Police stations may be valued by either the rental/comparative method or by reference to the contractor’s basis. The basis of valuation will determine the method of measurement required: Net Internal Area (NIA) in respect of the rental/comparative method and Gross Internal Area (GIA) in respect of the contractor’s basis. It will be necessary to ascertain the basis of valuation prior to inspection but in case of doubt sufficient measurement and survey information should be recorded to enable valuations to be carried out using either basis.

6.2 Description

Hereditaments occupied by the police forces are extremely varied in terms of construction, layout and size, characteristics which are largely dictated by their function.   

The smallest police stations will cater for only limited public access, consisting of a reception area with enquiry desk and a small office with WC and mess facilities but with no cells/custody suite. At the other extreme regional HQs will contain a full range of facilities which may include extensive offices, staff facilities, custody suite, identification parade facilities, victim examination suites, scene of crime suites, major incident facilities, training facilities including rifle ranges, garages, workshops of various types, stables and dog training or kennel facilities. Some of the more specialised facilities will normally be found as separate stand-alone hereditaments, these including purpose-built custody suites.

The majority of police hereditaments are purpose-built. Exceptions are stations housed in shop units. There are also a small number of police stations, which are known to have been physically adapted from office premises acquired on the open market. The considerable range of administrative work undertaken by police forces may in some cases lead to occupation of ordinary office hereditaments.

6.3 Requirements

a) Unit of Assessment

The principles referred to in Rating Manual Section 2 Part 2 2. Identification of the hereditament should be adhered to. In cases of difficulty advice from the Technical Advisor/NVU specialist should be obtained. The normal approach should be applied to the identification of hereditaments and no attempt should be made to aggregate property which on normal rating principles constitutes more than one hereditament. Where co-located with other emergency services or other occupiers it is possible that unit of assessment issues may arise, particularly where some facilities are shared. In these circumstances it is essential the rateable occupier of each part is ascertained, and the correct unit(s) of assessment identified.

b) Survey Detail

The following information is required:
 

  • A plan (CAD) or otherwise should be obtained where available and check dimensions made on site as necessary; otherwise, a plan should be drawn up.
  • Site layout plan.
  • Method of construction - e.g. temporary, traditional/permanent brick and tile or steel framed including roof type e.g. flat or pitched.
  • Dimensions (where measured to NIA) and description of the accommodation offices, interview room, mess facilities etc. with details of internal finish, insulation, heating, lighting etc.
  • Where the contractor’s basis is to be the method of valuation only the GIA of individual building(s) and any extensions is required unless there is a significant variation in the type of accommodation. For example, where a custody suite forms part of a building which otherwise consists of offices and staff accommodation a separate GIA will be required in respect of the custody suite. Likewise for such facilities as rifle ranges, garages, workshops, stables, dog training etc.
  • Flat roof area.
  • Age of all buildings/extensions.
  • Description and detail of services to the hereditament e.g. heating, air conditioning, security systems (to include CCTV, barriers, gates and perimeter fencing), lifts, solar panels, wind turbines etc.
  • Number of car parking spaces for police vehicles, staff and visitors- or/and parking area, the nature of the surface, a note of the extent of site landscaping and, where present, helicopter landing area areas, skid pans and the like.
  • The site area.
  • A description of the means of access to the highway and a note of the proximity to major trunk/arterial/ring roads.

7. Survey capture

Survey information including plans are to be stored on EDRM. Where the police station is to be valued using the Contractors basis the GIA of the building(s) is to be entered onto the valuation spreadsheet held on the non-bulk server (NBS). Where the police station is to be valued using the rental/comparative method then data, utilising appropriate Bulk Class Indicator (BCI) and sub location codes, should be captured within the Rating Support Application (RSA).

8. Valuation approach

Police stations and premises will either be valued adopting the rental/comparative method or the contractor’s basis of valuation. The rental/comparative method should be applied when no functioning custody facility or other specialist facilities, such as stables, firing ranges etc., were present as at the Antecedent Valuation Date (AVD) and material day. The contractor’s basis will be appropriate for police stations with operational custody, freestanding custody centres and specialist training facilities.

It is therefore of vital importance to establish the facts on the ground for each property both at the AVD and the material day before deciding on the valuation method to adopt. Valuers should consult with the individual police force to confirm the designated (full-time use), non-designated (emergency/overspill use) and obsolete custody suites as at the AVD and material day. Cells used part time or for over-spill at busy periods are to be treated as operational. Another valuable source of custody use information can be sought from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) (formerly known as HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). HMICFRS produce reports at 4-5 yearly intervals confirming which sites have operational custody within each force area.

If custody is closed between the AVD and material day, further investigation is required to ascertain the reason for closure and determine the hypothetical tenant’s requirements as at the material date. Custody facilities may cease operational use for either economic reasons (i.e. cost saving) or as a consequence of a material change of circumstances in the locality e.g. the provision of replacement facilities elsewhere. The particular circumstances will determine whether it will be appropriate to reflect the lack of demand within the hereditament for custody accommodation and hence adopt the rental/comparative method. If the cessation of custody use is driven by economic reasons only and that decision is not made until after AVD then the hereditament should continue to be valued on the contractor’s basis as before with the full appropriate value attributed to the custody accommodation. Where the change of use has arisen solely as a consequence of policy changes and/or a fall in arrest and detention rates post-AVD, then the cell/custody suite should continue to be valued on the basis that a demand exists for its original purpose. Some police forces, despite having introduced centralised custody suites, may have kept some cells operational in local police stations for weekend or emergency use only and such accommodation should be treated as fully operational facilities.

Where it is established as at both the AVD and material day that a police station is only used for administrative purposes, then the rental/comparative method is appropriate. Many police stations are purpose built and will have an element of cell accommodation. However, if the custody suite was not in use/obsolete as at the AVD and there are no other specialist uses, then the rental/comparative method should be adopted. Prevailing office values in the vicinity should be used (unless the property is a retail unit), with appropriate relativities applied to storage, garaging and other ancillary facilities. Former cell accommodation should be valued as storage unless it has been converted to office use.

No allowance should be made for sui-generis use. However, where a police station suffers from disabilities of layout not associated with offices from which the rental base has been derived, an end allowance may be appropriate if not already reflected in the unit rate.

When considering rents relating to police stations care should be taken to ensure that they can be suitably adjusted to accord with the rating hypothesis and are not otherwise of a nature which may prejudice their evidential weight – for example, lettings between connected parties, sale and leaseback, etc.

In adopting rental levels drawn from office premises it should be noted that some police stations are located in prime areas purely by historic accident. In such instances location in peak areas may not be operationally essential. Where it is not, it will be appropriate to adopt rental levels found in other areas within which the police station might alternatively be located without any operational detriment.

Retail units used as police stations will fall to be assessed on the rental/comparative method. As some examples of this type are known to be rented, it may be presumed that all examples may be valued by reference to retail tone unless evidence is available to demonstrate the rental value is at a different level for that particular use.

As this class of hereditament does not lend itself to valuation using the receipts and expenditure method then in the absence of sufficient rental evidence to carry out a valuation using the rental/comparative method the contractor’s basis of valuation should be applied by reference to Rating Manual: Section 4 Part 3 The Contractor’s Basis of Valuation and the practice note applicable to the relevant Rating List.

9. Valuation support

Valuations are to be carried out using the dedicated police stations spreadsheet held on the non-bulk server (NBS). Valuations on the rental/comparative method are to be carried out on the Rating Support Application.

Practice note: 2023 - police stations and other police hereditaments

1. Market Appraisal

1.1 The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced the concept of collaboration agreements between the 3 “blue light” services i.e. Police Authorities, Ambulance Trusts and Fire and Rescue Authorities. The Act obliges the emergency services in England to keep under consideration whether entering into a collaboration agreement with one or more other relevant emergency services in England could be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of that service and those other services. This provision together with the ongoing drive for efficiency savings is likely to further encourage the development of multi service sites with certain facilities shared between the “blue light” occupiers on those sites.

1.2 There are a number of stations which have been built as a move to running an estate which is fit for purpose and replacing old and outdated buildings proceeds. The move toward centralisation of custody facilities has continued with new suites being provided in several areas as forces seek to comply with the guidelines “Safer Detention and Handling of Persons in Police Custody (2012)”. Some suites are now primarily managed by private sector security specialists and this may have implications as regard the identification of the rateable occupier and the unit of assessment.

1.3 There have been discussions concerning the merger of some forces in an endeavour to achieve efficiencies but these have not progressed to fruition as at 1st April 2021, although innovative use of real estate such as the sharing of new facilities with other emergency services, magistrates’ courts and local authorities continues.

1.4 Examples of new facilities provided since 1st April 2015 can be found by Internet enquiry.

2. Changes from the 2017 Practice Note

2.1 The Market Appraisal section has been re-written and there are changes to building costs and Age & Obsolescence scales.

3. Ratepayer Discussions

3.1 No discussions with the police forces or their representatives have taken place.

4. Valuation Scheme

4.1 Purpose built police stations are a sui generis class for rating purposes, albeit due to the centralisation of specialist uses, many police stations are now only used for administrative purposes. It is therefore of vital importance to establish the facts on the ground for each property both at the Antecedent Valuation Date (AVD) and the material day before deciding on the valuation method to adopt.

4.2 Broadly speaking, police stations and premises will either be valued adopting the rentals or Contractor’s approach. The rentals basis will be adopted if there was no functioning custody facility as at the AVD and material day, or other specialist facilities present such as stables, firing ranges etc. The Contractor’s basis will be appropriate for police stations with operational custody, freestanding custody centres and specialist training facilities.

4.3 Rentals Basis

4.3.1 Where it is established as at both the AVD and material day that a police station is only used for administrative purposes, then the rentals method is appropriate. Many police stations are purpose built and will have an element of cell accommodation. However, if the custody suite was not in use/obsolete as at the AVD and there are no other specialist uses, then the rentals method should be adopted. Prevailing office values in the vicinity should be used (unless the property is a retail unit), with appropriate relativities applied to storage, garaging and other ancillary facilities. Where former cell accommodation is used for storage, it should be valued as such.

4.3.2 Valuers should consult with the individual police force to confirm the designated (full-time use), non-designated (emergency/overspill use) and obsolete custody suites as at the AVD and material day. Cells used part time or for over-spill at busy periods are to be treated as operational. Another valuable source of custody use information can be sought from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) (formerly known as HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). HMICFRS produce reports at 4-5 yearly intervals confirming which sites have operational custody within each force area.

4.3.3 If custody is closed between the AVD and material day, further investigation is required to ascertain the reason for closure and determine the hypothetical tenant’s requirements as at the material date. Custody facilities may cease operational use for either economic reasons (i.e. cost saving) or as a consequence of a material change of circumstances in the locality e.g. the provision of replacement facilities elsewhere. The particular circumstances will determine whether it will be appropriate to reflect the lack of demand within the hereditament for custody accommodation and hence adopt the rentals method. If the cessation of custody use is driven by economic reasons only and that decision is not made until after AVD then the hereditament should continue to be valued on the contractor’s method as before with the full appropriate value attributed to the custody accommodation.

4.3.4 Where the rentals method is adopted, it has been accepted that no allowance will be made for sui-generis use. However, where a police station suffers from superfluity or disabilities of layout not associated with offices from which the rental base has been derived, an end allowance may be appropriate if not already reflected in the unit rate.

4.3.5 In adopting rental levels drawn from office premises it should be noted that some police stations are located in prime areas purely by historic accident. In such instances location in peak areas may not be operationally essential. Where it is not, it will be appropriate to adopt rental levels found in other areas within which the police station might alternatively be located without any operational detriment.

4.4 Contractor’s Basis

4.4.1 Police stations with functioning custody or other specialist facilities, stand-alone custody centres and specialist police training facilities should be valued adopting the Contractor’s basis of valuation. For the purposes of this MoA, training facilities will include stand-alone facilities such as firing ranges and riot training buildings but not police training colleges, which should be valued as educational establishments on the College of Education or University basis.

4.4.2 During GPCR discussions the building costs of a number of police stations with custody, stand- alone custody centres and training facilities, built from 2012 onwards. Examples of new facilities provided can be found by Internet enquiry.

4.4.3 In circumstances where the Contractor’s basis of valuation is deemed appropriate, it is to be applied in accordance with VOA Rating Manual - Part 3: The contractor’s basis of valuation using the guidance below in relation to each stage of the valuation process.

4.4.4 The costs shown in this section are for ease of reference. In all cases where a cost guide code is shown it is this that which must be input into the NBS template, not the costs shown here. Where the cost guide code shows options, the costs shown in this practice note should be used to aid selection. Should the cost guide show different costs to those shown in a current version of this practice note, please refer to the Class Co-ordination Team (CCT).

4.5 Stage 1 – Estimated Replacement Cost

4.5.1 Building Costs

4.5.2 With the exception of areas that are not used at the AVD and have no prospect of being used (principally redundant cells), the actual GIA of the station should be used to calculate the Estimated Replacement Cost (Stage 1) of the hereditament in accordance with Appendix A. Guidance in relation to the treatment of superfluity is given in the Rating Manual section relating to police stations at paragraph 8.7.

4.5.3 For the avoidance of doubt unless the hereditament concerned is a police training college it is not appropriate to cost the buildings by reference to costs relating to colleges of further education.

4.5.4 External Works

4.5.5 The cost of external works is to be added in accordance with Appendix B.

4.5.6 Location factors

4.5.7 Where appropriate costs should be adjusted for location by reference to the Location Factors set down in the 2023 Rating Cost Guide and included at Appendix C.

4.5.8 Contract Size Adjustment

4.5.9 Contract size adjustments should be made in accordance with the guidance given in the 2023 Rating Cost Guide and included at Appendix D.

4.5.10 Professional Fees and Charges

4.5.11 Professional fees and charges are to be added for in accordance with the guidance given in the 2023 Cost Guide and included at Appendix E.

4.6 Stage 2 – Age and Obsolescence

4.6.1 The Estimated Replacement Cost (ERC) established at Stage 1 above is converted to Adjusted Replacement Cost (ARC) by applying an age and obsolescence allowance.

4.6.2 The standard age and obsolescence allowances (non–industrial) to be applied to the ERC of the individual blocks of permanent buildings are set out in Rating Manual: section 4 part 3 - the Contractor’s basis of valuation. Adjustments for age and obsolescence should be made in accordance with Appendix F. Separate scales are provided within for 1) Police Stations, 2) Separate and distinct stores i.e. stand-alone garage/workshop(s) areas then the industrial age/obsolescence scale should be applied and 3) Temporary buildings.

4.6.3 The scales contained inAppendix F take into account the following salient points:

a. The age and obsolescence scales set out in the rating manual represent the combined age-related physical depreciation along with functional obsolescence and technological redundancy exhibited by buildings of each age typical for their quality/specification and condition. It is anticipated that the stated allowances will be adopted in the majority of cases and only either moderated or increased in exceptional circumstances.

b. Extensions are to be given an allowance appropriate to their age unless of a lower specification than would be expected of a building of that age in which case the allowance should be increased to a level appropriate to reflect the specification of the building as a whole.

c. In respect of physical depreciation, the above scales are intended to reflect normal wear and tear and/or deterioration due to the age of the building. The scales assume an average degree of cyclical refurbishment work will have been undertaken, to include whole or partial renewal of building sub-components, most particularly relating to mechanical and electrical services and internal fit-out, but also including periodic renewal of roof coverings and windows.

d. It follows from the above that no adjustment away from the scales is required in the majority of cases where older buildings have been subject to modernisation and refurbishment works, as these are explicitly assumed to have occurred. An exception to this would be for a building taken back to shell and reconstructed with significant renewal of structural elements, where an abatement of age-related physical obsolescence may be required.

e. An example of a building requiring an abatement of the allowances provided by the scales (due to the mitigation of physical depreciation) would be where a major renovation has occurred utilising the original building foundations, frame (including upper floors) but with comprehensive replacement of the external envelope (walls, windows), a complete internal refit and wholescale replacement of mechanical and electrical services.

f. Conversely, the above scales will be insufficient to reflect physical obsolescence in cases where buildings are substantially un-modernised and in any case, the scales do not apply in instances where the hereditament is not repairable at reasonable cost and where it falls to be valued rebus sic stantibus.

g. To qualify as a substantially un-modernised building it is expected that the building will predominantly have the following:

  • single glazed windows
  • original internal layout
  • original ceiling height, with no suspended ceilings
  • original external walls
  • pre 1980 internal finishes (flooring, ceiling and walls, internal doors and fixtures and fittings)

This is not intended to be applicable to prestige buildings that add character and esteem to the hereditament.

h. In respect of functional and technological obsolescence, for buildings that remain in operational use, the scales include adjustments to reflect functional and technological deficiencies observable in buildings typical of their original period of construction but taking account of the level of assumed cyclical refurbishment reflected in the physical depreciation element of the scales.

i. The type of functional and technological obsolescence factors already reflected in the scales include the following:

  • poor energy efficiency and/or environmental sustainability
  • inappropriate layout inhibiting flexible and efficient space utilization
  • modern health and safety, fire or building regulations that preclude or limit the original purposes of the building
  • dated design practices that restrict modern usage (such as lack of/or minimal floor and ceiling voids)
  • the absence of modern space heating or air conditioning systems within a building

j. It follows that only where buildings display specific functional deficiencies or issues of technological redundancy, that are atypical for their age, the age-related allowances provided by the scales should be increased.

k. One indicator that additional functional obsolescence is present such that the allowance provided by the scales should be adjusted is the presence of new and/or replacement facilities making the existing building surplus. Such replacement or other material redundancy should be considered and may result in the total redundancy of the pre-existing building, i.e. 100% obsolescence.

l. If at the Antecedent Valuation Date, where there are buildings, or parts of buildings, that through an established pattern of use have been unused for a number of years the area of these buildings, or parts of buildings, is to be excluded from the GIA.

m. This adjustment takes into account deficiencies in the actual building from an occupational point of view, which is not reflected in the ERC.

4.6.4 Flat roof allowance

Permanent buildings built prior to 2005 with a flat roof are to receive an additional allowance. The allowance is not to be applied to temporary buildings, stores, workshops or garages.

  1. a) £80 per m2 ARC of the footprint of the flat roof for buildings constructed up to and including 2004.

    b) No allowance for flat roofs constructed from 2005 and onwards

  2. Where a building has varying roof types a reasonable apportionment should be made to arrive at the allowance.

  3. What is flat as opposed to a pitched roof will generally be self-evident. Flat roofing allowances will automatically apply here to all types of flat roof. In instances where an allowance is sought for pitched roofing caseworkers should seek advice from the National Valuation Unit before proceeding.

The age and obsolescence allowance applied to the buildings should also be applied to the external works (averaged as necessary). The spreadsheet in the Non-Bulk server application will automatically do this.

4.7 Stage 3 – Land Value

4.7.1 Land value is to be arrived at by having regard to values prevailing in the locality, in accordance with Rating Manual Vol 4: Section 3 and the 2023 Land Value Practice Note

  • It is anticipated that developed land values will be generally based on industrial values in the locality with the exception of London where residential land values less 20% should be applied. Developed land values for all Billing Authorities on this basis are included at Appendix G1.
  • Undeveloped land is to be taken at the amenity value in the locality are included at Appendix G2.

4.7.2 In this context developed land shall be taken to be the land upon which any building is situated, hard standing, artificial sports pitches and landscaping surrounding the buildings. Undeveloped land will consist of playing fields, open grass land, tree shelter belts etc.

4.8 Stage 4 – De-capitalisation rate

4.8.1 Generally the higher statutory de-capitalisation rate should be applied to the Effective Capital Value (ECV) to arrive at an annual equivalent, however there are some training facilities which may fall within the definition of educational hereditament within the meaning of The Non-Domestic Rating (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Regulations 1989 and where they do so the lower rate is to be applied. In cases of doubt advice should be sought from the appropriate technical advisor in NVU. For ease of reference the prescribed decapitalisation rates are included in Table 1 below:

Table 1:

Country Rating List Year Standard or ‘Higher’ rate Public Sector or ‘Lower’ rate Public Sector Rate Application
England 2023 4.4% 2.6% Healthcare, Education & MoD
Wales 2023 3.4% 1.9% Healthcare, Education, MoD & Public Conveniences

4.9 Stage 5 – End Adjustments

4.9.1 Any advantage or disadvantage which might affect the value of the occupation of the hereditament as a whole should be reflected at this last stage. An adjustment under this head should not duplicate adjustments made elsewhere. Most hereditaments will not warrant further allowances at this stage and where allowances are appropriate, it is expected that they should not normally exceed 15%.

Appendix A

Stage 1 building costs

ITEM COST GUIDE REF COST £/m2 REMARKS
Police Stations with Custody 63A00C £2,300 Including vehicle docks, plant rooms and all component parts of the main building but excluding garages and workshops
Stand-alone Custody Centres 63A00D £3,200 Including vehicle docks, plant rooms and all component parts of the main building
Garages/workshops 63A00E £961  
Vehicle examination facilities 63A00J £1,429 Up to 500m2
  63A00G £1,138 500m2 to 2000m2
Firing ranges 63A00H £2,250  
Stables 63A00L £1,046  
Kennels 63A00M - To be dealt with on their own merits

Note 1

The Stage 1 Costs for Divisional and regional HQ and Stand-alone Custody Centre hereditaments have been analysed so as to derive a single cost for the entirety of the main building i.e. to include vehicle docks, plant rooms etc all at the single rate. The only elements that should be costed individually are those separate and distinct facilities such as detached garages and vehicle workshops etc.

Stand-alone custody centres are a relatively new development in the police estate, as forces move towards centralised facilities. It will usually be evident which buildings should be valued as stand-alone custody centres, the majority of which were built from 2012 onwards. The majority use will be the custody suite itself, with ancillary offices dedicated to the running of the custody facility.

Note 2

Solar panels and wind turbines should be added for at the appropriate figure as given in the 2023 Rating Cost Guide.

Note 3

Where external sports facilities are present at Regional HQ’s they are to be costed in accordance with the guidance in the 2023 Rating Cost Guide.

Appendix B

Stage 1 – The Addition for External Works

External Works.

An addition for external works will be made within the range of 5-20%. The following percentages would typically apply but are not intended to be prescriptive;

Police stations with Custody & Stand-alone Custody Centres

Description Addition
A site with almost 100% site coverage, will typically apply to central area sites with minimal ext. wks. 5%
A site with adequate car parking spaces for police vehicles and some staff/public parking but limited amount of landscaping. 10%
An extensive site with adequate car parking for police vehicles, staff and visitors and extensive landscaping. 20%
Stand-alone Custody Centre - a single rate of 15% will be adopted for all stand-alone custody centres. 15%

Notes:

1) External works are inclusive of external CCTV, fencing, security barriers, all hard standing and landscaped areas

2) Where multi-storey car parks are present, they are to be added for separately and an appropriate adjustment made to the external works addition if appropriate.

Description Cost Guide Ref Addition
Multi-storey car parks 98H011 £561 m2 or £12,622 per space
Basement car parks 98H012 £975/m2 or £21,937/space
Single deck (steel) car parks See note# £7,778 per space

Note: Substantial multi-storey car parks should have a construction cost as per the above table. An additional cost code has been introduced to cover simple ‘meccano’ style car parks that consist of a single upper storey/deck. Consideration should be given to whether the cost should be applied to both the ground and upper deck. Where the single deck has been constructed over an existing concrete/tarmac car park with minimal alteration to the bottom storey then the cost should only be applied to the upper deck. In such circumstances the lower car park element will form part of the consideration to the external works addition.

Appendix C

Location adjustment

N.B. The Regions referred to are administrative areas and are not significant boundaries.

NORTH EAST REGION     NORTH WEST REGION  
Durham County 0.91   Cheshire 0.97
Northumberland 0.95   Greater Manchester 0.97
Tees Valley 0.94   Lancashire 0.97
Tyne & Wear 0.91   Merseyside 0.97
      Cumbria 0.98
         
YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE REGION     SOUTH WESTERN REGION  
East Riding and North Lincolnshire 0.92   Cornwall 1.05
North Yorkshire 0.98   Devon 1.01
South Yorkshire 0.94   Dorset 1.04
West Yorkshire 0.92   Gloucestershire 1.03
      North Somerset 1.02
      Somerset 1.01
      Wiltshire 1.03
         
EAST MIDLANDS REGION     WEST MIDLANDS REGION  
Derbyshire 1.05   Herefordshire 0.92
Leicestershire and Rutland 1.04   Shropshire 0.95
Lincolnshire 1.03   Staffordshire 0.94
Northamptonshire 1.09   Warwickshire 0.98
Nottinghamshire 1.03   West Midlands 0.95
      Worcestershire 0.98
         
EAST OF ENGLAND REGION     SOUTH EAST REGION (EXCL. LONDON)  
Bedfordshire 1.04   Berkshire 1.08
Cambridgeshire 1.00   Buckinghamshire 1.07
Essex 1.03   East Sussex 1.09
Hertfordshire 1.07   Hampshire 1.05
Norfolk 0.96   Isle of Wight 1.05
Suffolk 0.97   Kent 1.09
      Oxfordshire 1.04
      Surrey 1.13
      West Sussex 1.08
WALES CENTRAL LONDON SOUTH
North Wales     Lambeth 1.28
Flintshire 0.89   Southwark 1.28
Conwy 0.93   Wandsworth 1.30
Denbighshire 0.90      
Gwynedd 0.97   GREATER LONDON NORTH EAST  
Isle of Anglesey 0.95   Hackney 1.25
Wrexham 0.91   Haringey 1.31
      Newham 1.18
Mid Wales     Tower Hamlets 1.26
Carmarthenshire 0.98   Barking and Dagenham 1.18
Ceredigion 0.99   Enfield 1.18
Powys 0.97   Havering 1.09
Pembrokeshire 0.92   Redbridge 1.15
      Waltham Forest 1.18
         
South Wales     GREATER LONDON NORTH WEST  
Blaenau Gwent 0.96   Barnet 1.23
Bridgend 0.93   Brent 1.22
Caerphilly 0.93   Ealing 1.27
Cardiff 0.94   Harrow 1.18
Monmouthshire 0.99   Hillingdon 1.16
Neath Port Talbot 0.88   Hounslow 1.16
Newport 0.95      
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 0.93   GREATER LONDON SOUTH EAST  
Swansea 0.93   Bexley 1.25
Torfaen 0.91   Bromley 1.21
Vale of Glamorgan 0.97   Croydon 1.24
      Greenwich 1.24
CENTRAL LONDON NORTH     Lewisham 1.21
Camden 1.32      
City of London 1.24   GREATER LONDON SOUTH WEST  
Hammersmith & Fulham 1.32   Kingston Upon Thames 1.26
Islington 1.29   Merton 1.24
Kensington & Chelsea 1.34   Richmond Upon Thames 1.22
Westminster 1.30   Sutton 1.2

Appendix D

Contract Size Adjustment

The adjustment for contract size should be made having regard to the total ERC (after adjustment for location but before the addition for fees) in accordance with the following scales:

ERC £ % Adjustment
Up to 0.25 million + 10% max
0.5 million 8%
0.75 million 6%
1.0 million 4%
1.5 million 3%
2.0 million 2%
3.0 million 1%
4.0 million 0%
5.0 million -0.5%
6.0 million -1%
8.0 million -1.5%
10.0 million -2%
15.0 million -3%
18.0 million -4%
20.0 million -5%
25.0 million -6%
35.0 million -9%
Over 40.0 million - 10% MAX
NB. Intermediate figures may be interpolated.  

Appendix E

The addition for fees

Fees should be added at the percentages shown in the VOA published Cost Guide at Section 7. For convenience these are shown below inclusive of the 2% complexity addition. Note that minimum fees may apply to counter inversion.

Size of Contract % Adjustment
Sums up to £750,000 14%
£750,000 to £1,499,000 13.5%
£1,500,000 to £3,999,999 11.5%
£4,000,000 to £7,499,999 10.5%
£7,500,000 to £14,999,999 9.5%
Over £15,000,000 9%

Appendix F

Age and obsolescence scales

Table 1: Civic Buildings Obsolescence Allowances – Police Stations

Age % Obsolescence Age % Obsolescence
2023 0.00% 1986 43.75%
2022 0.75% 1985 44.50%
2021 1.50% 1984 45.00%
2020 2.50% 1983 48.00%
2019 3.50% 1982 51.00%
2018 4.75% 1981 54.00%
2017 6.00% 1980 56.75%
2016 7.25% 1979 57.25%
2015 8.50% 1978 57.50%
2014 10.00% 1977 58.00%
2013 11.25% 1976 58.25%
2012 12.75% 1975 58.50%
2011 14.25% 1974 58.50%
2010 15.75% 1973 58.75%
2009 17.25% 1972 59.00%
2008 18.75% 1971 59.00%
2007 20.25% 1970 59.25%
2006 21.75% 1969 59.25%
2005 23.25% 1968 60.00%
2004 24.50% 1967 60.00%
2003 26.00% 1966 60.00%
2002 27.50% 1965 60.00%
2001 28.75% 1964 60.00%
2000 30.00% 1963 60.00%
1999 31.25% 1962 60.00%
1998 32.50% 1961 60.00%
1997 33.75% 1960 60.00%
1996 35.00% 1959 57.50%
1995 36.00% 1958 55.00%
1994 37.00% 1957 55.00%
1993 38.00% 1956 55.00%
1992 39.00% 1955 55%
1991 40.00% 1954 55%
1990 40.75% 1953 and earlier 55%
1989 41.50%    
1988 42.25%    
1987 43.00%    

Table 2: Industrial Buildings Obsolescence Table - Separate and distinct stores

Age % Obsolescence Age % Obsolescence
2023 0.00% 1994 24.00%
2022 0.50% 1993 25.00%
2021 1.00% 1992 26.00%
2020 1.50% 1991 27.00%
2019 2.00% 1990 28.00%
2018 2.50% 1989 29.00%
2017 3.00% 1988 30.00%
2016 3.50% 1987 31.00%
2015 4.00% 1986 32.00%
2014 4.50% 1985 33.00%
2013 5.00% 1984 34.00%
2012 6.00% 1983 35.00%
2011 7.00% 1982 36.00%
2010 8.00% 1981 37.00%
2009 9.00% 1980 38.00%
2008 10.00% 1979 39.00%
2007 11.00% 1978 40.00%
2006 12.00% 1977 41.00%
2005 13.00% 1976 42.00%
2004 14.00% 1975 43.00%
2003 15.00% 1974 44.00%
2002 16.00% 1973 45.00%
2001 17.00% 1972 46.00%
2000 18.00% 1971 47.00%
1999 19.00% 1970 48.00%
1998 20.00% 1969 49.00%
1997 21.00% 1968 and earlier 50.00% Max
1996 22.00%    
1995 23.00%    

Notes Applicable to Table 2

  1. As noted above, the scale of allowances commonly referred to as “the Monsanto scale” (derived from the approach determined in Monsanto v Farris (VO) 1998 RA 217) continue to be applicable to Industrial buildings.

  2. The scales refer to the actual age of the specific item. A notional age can be adopted where the item has undergone significant improvement or refurbishment.

  3. The scales do not provide for physical obsolescence alone. They also reflect the expected degree of functional and technical obsolescence for an asset of that age.

  4. Any extraordinary functional or technical obsolescence may result in an additional allowance being considered. Examples include superfluity for modern purposes or where new technology evidences that the actual asset is relatively inefficient. Where an additional allowance is made the reasons for it must be stated in the valuation notes.

  5. An element of risk of failure and the requirement of the tenant to replace the item at the end of its useful life is incorporated in the allowances.

  6. It should not be automatically assumed that because a property is old it merits an allowance. Age in itself is not a disability but rather what often flows from age.

  7. The scales are intended to provide a degree of uniformity of allowance. They should be regarded as the maximum allowances to be given.

  8. The scales should only be used as guidance in accordance with the principles outlined in the Rating Manual.

  9. Allowances in excess of 50% for buildings or P&M should only be adopted in exceptional circumstances. It is unlikely that many very old buildings exist which have not undergone some form of modernisation or refurbishment. Where a building or piece of plant has obviously not undergone refurbishment or modernisation at some stage it is permissible to give allowances up to a maximum of 65% as indicated in the scales (below).

  10. Allowances may be up to 50% higher from those shown in the scales for structures which are of a temporary nature and have continued in use well beyond their intended life span.

  11. It should not be assumed automatically that because an item of plant or machinery is old it merits an allowance. If an asset is well maintained the amount of use may well not affect the item or its value. However, with age the risk of breakdown is likely to increase and functional and technological obsolescence factors are likely to become prevalent. These factors must be borne in mind when selecting an appropriate obsolescence allowance.

  12. The scales of allowances therefore take into account the average use of items over a period of time, bearing in mind the physical, functional and technical obsolescence that may occur during the stated period.

  13. Where judgement through actual knowledge of the item is inconsistent with the allowance scales the item should be valued accordingly recording the reasons for the divergence from the scale.

  14. In any instance of variation from the scales in accordance with these instructions, the reasoning for this must be recorded in the valuation.

Table 3: Temporary Buildings Obsolescence Table (Category 3 buildings)

Age % Obsolescence Age % Obsolescence
2023 0.00% 2002 31.50%
2022 1.50% 2001 33.00%
2021 3.00% 2000 34.50%
2020 4.50% 1999 36.00%
2019 6.00% 1998 37.50%
2018 7.50% 1997 39.00%
2017 9.00% 1996 40.50%
2016 10.50% 1995 42.00%
2015 12.00% 1994 43.50%
2014 13.50% 1993 45.00%
2013 15.00% 1992 46.50%
2012 16.50% 1991 48.00%
2011 18.00% 1990 49.50%
2010 19.50% 1989 51.00%
2009 21.00% 1988 52.50%
2008 22.50% 1987 54.00%
2007 24.00% 1986 55.50%
2006 25.50% 1985 57.00%
2005 27.00% 1984 58.50%
2004 28.50% 1983 and earlier 60.00% Max
2003 30.00%    

Appendix G1

Developed Land Values

BA Code Geographic Regions & Billing Authorities Developed Land Values
  South East  
3110 Oxford £2,000,000
435 Milton Keynes £1,250,000
405 Aylesbury Vale £1,100,000
3105 Cherwell £1,250,000
3125 West Oxfordshire £1,000,000
1705 Basingstoke & Deane £1,700,000
1765 Winchester £1,500,000
1780 Southampton £1,500,000
3805 Adur £1,500,000
2235 Maidstone £1,400,000
335 Bracknell Forest £1,900,000
340 West Berkshire £1,500,000
345 Reading £2,000,000
350 Slough £2,500,000
355 Windsor & Maidenhead £2,400,000
360 Wokingham £2,000,000
1410 Eastbourne £1,200,000
1415 Hastings £700,000
1425 Lewes £1,200,000
1430 Rother £1,000,000
1435 Wealden £1,350,000
1445 Brighton & Hove £1,750,000
2205 Ashford £1,250,000
2210 Canterbury £1,150,000
2215 Dartford £2,500,000
2220 Dover £550,000
2230 Gravesham £1,950,000
2245 Sevenoaks £2,000,000
2250 Shepway £890,000
2255 Swale £1,200,000
2260 Thanet £900,000
2265 Tonbridge and Malling £1,800,000
2270 Tunbridge Wells £1,500,000
2280 Medway £1,600,000
3605 Elmbridge £2,700,000
3610 Epsom and Ewell £2,400,000
3615 Guildford £2,400,000
3620 Mole Valley £2,300,000
3625 Reigate & Banstead £2,200,000
3630 Runnymede £2,600,000
3635 Spelthorne £2,700,000
3640 Surrey Heath £1,900,000
3645 Tandridge £2,000,000
3650 Waverley £2,000,000
3655 Woking £2,200,000
3810 Arun £1,500,000
3815 Chichester £1,550,000
3820 Crawley £2,300,000
3825 Horsham £1,550,000
3830 Mid Sussex £1,550,000
3835 Worthing £1,500,000
410 South Buckinghamshire £2,700,000
415 Chiltern £1,100,000
425 Wycombe £2,500,000
3115 South Oxfordshire £1,100,000
3120 Vale of White Horse £850,000
1710 East Hampshire £1,450,000
1715 Eastleigh £1,400,000
1720 Fareham £1,200,000
1725 Gosport £1,000,000
1730 Hart £1,500,000
1735 Havant £1,200,000
2100 Isle of Wight £750,000
1740 New Forest £1,000,000
1775 Portsmouth £1,500,000
1750 Rushmoor £1,700,000
1760 Test Valley £1,100,000
  East Midlands  
2820 Kettering £775,000
2230 South Northamptonshire £850,000
2465 Leicester £650,000
1055 Derby £545,000
3060 Nottingham £500,000
2515 Lincoln £450,000
2530 South Kestevan £350,000
2825 Northampton £850,000
3010 Bassetlaw £500,000
2410 Charnwood £525,000
2805 Corby £600,000
2810 Daventry £850,000
2815 East Northamptonshire £800,000
2835 Wellingborough £800,000
1005 Amber Valley £330,000
1010 Bolsover £400,000
1015 Chesterfield £400,000
1025 Erewash £265,000
1030 High Peak £425,000
1035 North East Derbyshire £350,000
1040 South Derbyshire £510,000
1045 Derbyshire Dales £375,000
2405 Blaby £525,000
2415 Harborough £575,000
2420 Hinckley and Bosworth £475,000
2430 Melton £450,000
2435 North West Leicestershire £450,000
2440 Oadby and Wigston £575,000
2505 Boston £230,000
2510 East Lindsey £300,000
2520 North Kesteven £400,000
2525 South Holland £325,000
2535 West Lindsey £275,000
3005 Ashfield £380,000
3015 Broxtowe £360,000
3020 Gedling £500,000
3025 Mansfield £350,000
3030 Newark and Sherwood £380,000
3040 Rushcliffe £400,000
2470 Rutland £400,000
  East  
505 Cambridge £1,200,000
1915 East Hertfordshire £1,350,000
1505 Basildon £1,500,000
530 South Cambridgshire £1,200,000
540 Peterborough £900,000
1550 Rochford £525,000
2625 Norwich £630,000
3515 Ipswich £800,000
1920 Hertsmere £1,200,000
1530 Colchester £650,000
510 East Cambridgeshire £500,000
515 Fenland £350,000
520 Huntingdonshire £1,100,000
1510 Braintree £625,000
1515 Brentwood £850,000
1520 Castle Point £550,000
1525 Chelmsford £850,000
1535 Epping Forest £1,050,000
1540 Harlow £1,300,000
1545 Maldon £500,000
1560 Tendring £515,000
1570 Uttlesford £800,000
1590 Southend-on-Sea £1,350,000
1595 Thurrock £2,000,000
2605 Breckland £415,000
2610 Broadland £365,000
2615 Great Yarmouth £365,000
2620 North Norfolk £250,000
2630 South Norfolk £415,000
2635 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk £450,000
3505 Babergh £305,000
3520 Mid Suffolk £340,000
3540 East Suffolk £310,000
3545 West Suffolk £475,000
1905 Broxbourne £1,700,000
1910 Dacorum £2,000,000
1930 St Albans £1,500,000
1935 Stevenage £1,600,000
1940 Three Rivers £2,700,000
1945 Watford £2,250,000
1950 Welwyn Hatfield £1,800,000
235 Bedford £900,000
240 Central Bedfordshire £900,000
230 Luton £1,500,000
1925 North Hertfordshire £1,500,000
  North East  
4510 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne £260,000
2935 Northumberland £140,000
4525 Sunderland £230,000
734 Middlesborough £200,000
1355 Durham £180,000
1350 Darlington £175,000
724 Hartlepool £180,000
728 Redcar and Cleveland £150,000
738 Stockton-on-Tees £185,000
4520 South Tyneside £215,000
4505 Gateshead £230,000
4515 North Tyneside £200,000
  North West  
4215 Manchester £675,000
4235 Stockport £575,000
2345 Preston £600,000
665 Cheshire W & Chester £325,000
4205 Bolton £575,000
4250 Wigan £500,000
915 Carlisle £400,000
930 South Lakeland £500,000
4310 Liverpool £440,000
655 Warrington £800,000
650 Halton £290,000
660 Cheshire East £500,000
905 Allerdale £165,000
910 Barrow-in-Furness £300,000
920 Copeland £150,000
925 Eden £300,000
2315 Burnley £450,000
2320 Chorley £600,000
2325 Fylde £400,000
2330 Hyndburn £475,000
2335 Lancaster £525,000
2340 Pendle £425,000
2350 Ribble Valley £550,000
2355 Rossendale £500,000
2360 South Ribble £600,000
2365 West Lancashire £395,000
2370 Wyre £400,000
2372 Blackburn with Darwen £500,000
2373 Blackpool £400,000
4210 Bury £615,000
4220 Oldham £550,000
4225 Rochdale £525,000
4230 Salford £550,000
4240 Tameside £525,000
4245 Trafford £850,000
4305 Knowsley £440,000
4315 St Helens £310,000
4320 Sefton £370,000
4325 Wirral £325,000
  South West  
1250 Bournemouth £1,100,000
1235 Weymouth & Portland £750,000
1110 Exeter £1,000,000
1115 North Devon £440,000
1160 Plymouth £440,000
840 Cornwall £350,000
3315 Taunton Deane £975,000
114 Bath & NE Somerset £1,200,000
119 South Gloucestershire £1,075,000
3935 Swindon £850,000
116 Bristol £1,075,000
121 North Somerset £725,000
835 Isles of Scilly £370,000
1105 East Devon £450,000
1125 South Hams £400,000
1130 Teignbridge £430,000
1135 Mid Devon £450,000
1145 Torridge £300,000
1150 West Devon £400,000
1165 Torbay £400,000
1210 Christchurch £925,000
1215 North Dorset £550,000
1225 Purbeck £750,000
1230 West Dorset £600,000
1240 East Dorset £650,000
1255 Poole £1,050,000
1605 Cheltenham £1,000,000
1610 Cotswold £850,000
1615 Forest of Dean £300,000
1620 Gloucester £1,000,000
1625 Stroud £915,000
1630 Tewkesbury £1,000,000
3305 Mendip £500,000
3310 Sedgemoor £740,000
3320 West Somerset £440,000
3325 South Somerset £860,000
3940 Wiltshire £800,000
  West Midlands  
4605 Birmingham £1,150,000
4610 Coventry £850,000
4620 Sandwell £575,000
4635 Wolverhampton £600,000
3415 Lichfield £650,000
3245 Shropshire £500,000
3455 Stoke-on-Trent £500,000
3725 Warwick £800,000
1835 Worcester £705,000
1845 Wyre Forest £700,000
1805 Bromsgrove £720,000
1825 Redditch £800,000
1840 Wychavon £650,000
1850 Herefordshire £550,000
1860 Malvern Hills £625,000
3240 Telford & Wrekin £500,000
3405 Cannock Chase £650,000
3410 East Staffordshire £625,000
3420 Newcastle-under-Lyme £500,000
3425 Stafford £525,000
3430 South Staffordshire £520,000
3435 Staffordshire Moorlands £420,000
3445 Tamworth £550,000
3705 North Warwickshire £720,000
3710 Nuneaton and Bedworth £750,000
3715 Rugby £775,000
3720 Stratford-on-Avon £800,000
4615 Dudley £575,000
4625 Solihull £700,000
4630 Walsall £575,000
  Yorkshire and Humber  
2715 Harrogate £625,000
2741 City of York £550,000
4705 Bradford £500,000
4710 Calderdale £490,000
4720 Leeds £825,000
4410 Doncaster £570,000
2002 North East Lincolnshire £345,000
2001 East Riding of Yorkshire £615,000
4420 Sheffield £630,000
4405 Barnsley £500,000
2705 Craven £600,000
2710 Hambleton £400,000
2720 Richmondshire £410,000
2725 Ryedale £325,000
2730 Scarborough £370,000
2735 Selby £450,000
4415 Rotherham £550,000
4715 Kirklees £525,000
4725 Wakefield £550,000
2002 North Lincolnshire £225,000
2004 Kingston upon Hull £470,000
  Central London, North  
5210 Camden £23,980,000
5030 City of London £23,980,000
5990 City of Westminster £23,980,000
5390 Hammersmith & Fulham £23,980,000
5570 Islington £23,980,000
5600 Kensington & Chelsea £23,980,000
  Central London, South  
5660 Lambeth £14,920,000
5840 Southwark £14,920,000
5960 Wandsworth £14,920,000
  Greater London, North West  
5090 Barnet £5,048,000
5150 Brent £5,048,000
5270 Ealing £5,048,000
5450 Harrow £5,048,000
5510 Hillingdon £5,048,000
5540 Hounslow £5,048,000
  Greater London, South West  
5630 Kingston upon Thames £6,960,000
5720 Merton £6,960,000
5810 Richmond upon Thames £6,960,000
5870 Sutton £6,960,000
  Greater London, North East  
5060 Barking and Dagenham £5,200,000
5300 Enfield £5,200,000
5360 Hackney £5,200,000
5420 Haringey £5,200,000
5480 Havering £5,200,000
5750 Newham £5,200,000
5780 Redbridge £5,200,000
5900 Tower Hamlets £5,200,000
5930 Waltham Forest £5,200,000
  Greater London, South East  
5120 Bexley £4,340,000
5180 Bromley £4,340,000
5240 Croydon £4,340,000
5330 Greenwich £4,340,000
5690 Lewisham £4,340,000
  South Wales (exc Cardiff)  
6825 Carmarthenshire (1) £210,000
6828 Carmarthenshire (2) £100,000
6829 Carmarthenshire (3) £200,000
6840 Monmouthshire £345,000
6845 Pembrokeshire £150,000
6855 Swansea £300,000
6910 Blaenau Gwent £185,000
6915 Bridgend £310,000
6920 Caerphilly £275,000
6925 Merthyr Tydfil £185,000
6930 Neath Port Talbot £148,000
6935 Newport £450,000
6940 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff £250,000
6945 Torfaen £310,000
6950 Vale of Glamorgan £330,000
6815 Cardiff £610,000
  Mid & North Wales  
6805 Isle of Anglesey £180,000
6810 Gwynedd £180,000
6820 Ceredigion £90,000
6830 Denbighshire £175,000
6835 Flintshire £225,000
6850 Powys (1) £160,000
6853 Powys (2) £150,000
6854 Powys (3) £175,000
6905 Conwy £190,000
6955 Wrexham £350,000

Appendix G2

Undeveloped Land Value

Amenity land values to be use by region

Geographic Region £ per hectare (ha)
Central London N £250,000
Central London S £250,000
GLNW £200,000
GLSW £200,000
GLNE £200,000
GLSE £200,000
North East £50,000
North West £75,000
Yorkshire & Humberside £75,000
East Midlands £75,000
West Midlands £75,000
East of England £75,000
South East £100,000
South West £75,000
Mid & North Wales £35,000
South Wales (excl Cardiff) £35,000
Cardiff £40,000

Practice note 1: 2017 - police stations

1. Market Appraisal

1.1 In September 2011, the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill received Royal Assent. This Act redefined the accountability of policing to the public, bringing about the dissolution of Police Authorities in England and Wales and introduced a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to Police Forces. The role of the PCC is to hold the Chief Constable to account, set the annual precept and create a Police and Crime Plan for the area, whilst being answerable to the Police and Crime Panel for all aspects of local policing. Elections of PCCs took place 15 November 2012 and commenced business on 22 November 2012.

1.2 As with most publicly funded bodies, police forces throughout England and Wales have had to respond to cuts in budgets arising from the austerity measures designed to tackle the deficit. This has impacted on all areas of policing including estates; resulting in closure and rationalisation of police stations, together with several examples of centralisation of services. The move toward centralisation of custody facilities has continued with new custody centres being provided in several areas as forces seek to comply with the guidelines “Safer Detention and Handling of Persons in Police Custody (2012) and mitigate the costs of staffing multiple custody facilities throughout their estate.

2. Changes from the 2010 Practice Note

2.1 The Market Appraisal section has been re-written and there are changes to the overall valuation scheme, building costs, Age & Obsolescence scales, external works and undeveloped land.

3. Ratepayer Discussions

3.1 For the 2017 Rating List, police stations and premises have been the subject of a Group Pre-Challenge Review (35146196 – Police Stations and Premises and Freestanding Custody Centres). Both the ratepayer’s agents and the VO alike, have sought to eradicate the inconsistencies in the valuation approach adopted for Police hereditaments, which has occurred in previous Lists. The agents involved in these discussions include Avison Young, LSH, Gerald Eve and JLL. This memorandum of agreement (MoA) documents the conclusions drawn from these discussions.

3.2 The costs agreed within this memorandum are based upon divisional headquarters and custody centres and not campus-style Police Headquarters where each case is to be dealt with on its own merits.

4. Valuation Scheme

4.1 Purpose built police stations are a sui generis class for rating purposes, albeit due to the centralisation of specialist uses, many police stations are now only used for administrative purposes. It is therefore of vital importance to establish the facts on the ground for each property both at the Antecedent Valuation Date (AVD) and the material day before deciding on the valuation method to adopt.

4.2 Broadly speaking, police stations and premises will either be valued adopting the rentals or Contractor’s approach. The rentals basis will be adopted if there was no functioning custody facility as at the AVD and material day, or other specialist facilities present such as stables, firing ranges etc. The Contractor’s basis will be appropriate for police stations with operational custody, freestanding custody centres and specialist training facilities.

4.3 Rentals Basis

4.3.1 Where it is established as at both the AVD and material day that a police station is only used for administrative purposes, then the rentals method is appropriate. Many police stations are purpose built and will have an element of cell accommodation. However, if the custody suite was not in use/obsolete as at the AVD and there are no other specialist uses, then the rentals method should be adopted. Prevailing office values in the vicinity should be used (unless the property is a retail unit), with appropriate relativities applied to storage, garaging and other ancillary facilities. Where former cell accommodation is used for storage, it should be valued as such.

4.3.2 Valuers should consult with the individual police force to confirm the designated (full-time use), non-designated (emergency/overspill use) and obsolete custody suites as at the AVD and material day. Cells used part time or for over-spill at busy periods are to be treated as operational. Another valuable source of custody use information can be sought from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) (formerly known as HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)). HMICFRS produce reports at 4-5 yearly intervals confirming which sites have operational custody within each force area.

4.3.3 If custody is closed between the AVD and material day, further investigation is required to ascertain the reason for closure and determine the hypothetical tenant’s requirements as at the material date. Custody facilities may cease operational use for either economic reasons (i.e. cost saving) or as a consequence of a material change of circumstances in the locality e.g. the provision of replacement facilities elsewhere. The particular circumstances will determine whether it will be appropriate to reflect the lack of demand within the hereditament for custody accommodation and hence adopt the rentals method. If the cessation of custody use is driven by economic reasons only and that decision is not made until after AVD then the hereditament should continue to be valued on the contractor’s method as before with the full appropriate value attributed to the custody accommodation.

4.3.4 Where the rentals method is adopted, it has been accepted that no allowance will be made for sui-generis use. However, where a police station suffers from superfluity or disabilities of layout not associated with offices from which the rental base has been derived, an end allowance may be appropriate if not already reflected in the unit rate.

4.3.5 In adopting rental levels drawn from office premises it should be noted that some police stations are located in prime areas purely by historic accident. In such instances location in peak areas may not be operationally essential. Where it is not, it will be appropriate to adopt rental levels found in other areas within which the police station might alternatively be located without any operational detriment.

4.4 Contractor’s Basis

4.4.1 Police stations with functioning custody or other specialist facilities, stand-alone custody centres and specialist police training facilities should be valued adopting the Contractor’s basis of valuation. For the purposes of this MoA, training facilities will include stand-alone facilities such as firing ranges and riot training buildings but not police training colleges, which should be valued as educational establishments on the College of Education or University basis.

4.4.2 During GPCR discussions the building costs of a number of police stations with custody, stand-alone custody centres and training facilities, built from 2012 onwards. Examples of new facilities provided can be found by Internet enquiry.

4.4.3 In circumstances where the Contractor’s basis of valuation is deemed appropriate, it is to be applied in accordance with VOA Rating Manual - Part 3: The contractor’s basis of valuation using the guidance below in relation to each stage of the valuation process.

4.4.4 The costs shown in this section are for ease of reference. In all cases where a cost guide code is shown it is this that which must be input into the NBS template, not the costs shown here. Where the cost guide code shows options, the costs shown in this practice note should be used to aid selection. Should the cost guide show different costs to those shown in a current version of this practice note, please refer to the Class Co-ordination Team (CCT).

4.5 Stage 1 – Estimated Replacement Cost

4.5.1 Building Costs

4.5.2 With the exception of areas that are not used at the AVD and have no prospect of being used (principally redundant cells), the actual GIA of the station should be used to calculate the Estimated Replacement Cost (Stage 1) of the hereditament in accordance with Appendix A. Guidance in relation to the treatment of superfluity is given in the Rating Manual section relating to police stations at paragraph 8.7.

4.5.3 External Works

4.5.4 The cost of external works is to be added in accordance with Appendix B.

4.5.5 Location factors

4.5.6 Where appropriate costs should be adjusted for location by reference to the Location Factors set down in the 2017 Rating Cost Guide and included at Appendix C.

4.5.7 Contract Size Adjustment

4.5.8 Contract size adjustments should be made in accordance with the guidance given in the 2017 Rating Cost Guide and included at Appendix D.

4.5.9 Professional Fees and Charges

4.5.10 Professional fees and charges are to be added for in accordance with the guidance given in the 2017 Cost Guide and included at Appendix E.

4.6 Stage 2 – Age and Obsolescence

4.6.1 The Estimated Replacement Cost (ERC) established at Stage 1 above is converted to Adjusted Replacement Cost (ARC) by applying an age and obsolescence allowance.

4.6.2 The standard age and obsolescence allowances (non–industrial) to be applied to the ERC of the individual blocks of permanent buildings are set out in Rating Manual: Section 4 Part 3 - the Contractor’s basis of valuation. Adjustments for age and obsolescence should be made in accordance with Appendix F. Separate scales are provided within for 1) Police Stations, 2) Separate and distinct stores i.e. stand-alone garage/workshop(s) areas then the industrial age/obsolescence scale should be applied and 3) Temporary buildings.

4.6.3 The scales contained in Appendix F take into account the following salient points:

a. The age and obsolescence scales set out in the rating manual represent the combined age-related physical depreciation along with functional obsolescence and technological redundancy exhibited by buildings of each age typical for their quality/specification and condition. It is anticipated that the stated allowances will be adopted in the majority of cases and only either moderated or increased in exceptional circumstances.

b. Extensions are to be given an allowance appropriate to their age unless of a lower specification than would be expected of a building of that age in which case the allowance should be increased to a level appropriate to reflect the specification of the building as a whole.

c. In respect of physical depreciation, the above scales are intended to reflect normal wear and tear and/or deterioration due to the age of the building. The scales assume an average degree of cyclical refurbishment work will have been undertaken, to include whole or partial renewal of building sub-components, most particularly relating to mechanical and electrical services and internal fit-out, but also including periodic renewal of roof coverings and windows.

d. It follows from the above that no adjustment away from the scales is required in the majority of cases where older buildings have been subject to modernisation and refurbishment works, as these are explicitly assumed to have occurred. An exception to this would be for a building taken back to shell and reconstructed with significant renewal of structural elements, where an abatement of age-related physical obsolescence may be required.

e. An example of a building requiring an abatement of the allowances provided by the scales (due to the mitigation of physical depreciation) would be where a major renovation has occurred utilising the original building foundations, frame (including upper floors) but with comprehensive replacement of the external envelope (walls, windows), a complete internal refit and wholescale replacement of mechanical and electrical services.

f. Conversely, the above scales will be insufficient to reflect physical obsolescence in cases where buildings are substantially un-modernised and in any case, the scales do not apply in instances where the hereditament is not repairable at reasonable cost and where it falls to be valued rebus sic stantibus.

g. To qualify as a substantially un-modernised building it is expected that the building will predominantly have the following:

  • single glazed windows
  • original internal layout
  • original ceiling height, with no suspended ceilings
  • original external walls
  • pre 1980 internal finishes (flooring, ceiling and walls, internal doors and fixtures and fittings)

This is not intended to be applicable to prestige buildings that add character and esteem to the hereditament.

h. In respect of functional and technological obsolescence, for buildings that remain in operational use, the scales include adjustments to reflect functional and technological deficiencies observable in buildings typical of their original period of construction but taking account of the level of assumed cyclical refurbishment reflected in the physical depreciation element of the scales.

i. The type of functional and technological obsolescence factors already reflected in the scales include the following:

  • poor energy efficiency and/or environmental sustainability
  • inappropriate layout inhibiting flexible and efficient space utilization
  • modern health and safety, fire or building regulations that preclude or limit the original purposes of the building
  • dated design practices that restrict modern usage (such as lack of/or minimal floor and ceiling voids)
  • the absence of modern space heating or air conditioning systems within a building

j. It follows that only where buildings display specific functional deficiencies or issues of technological redundancy, that are atypical for their age, the age-related allowances provided by the scales should be increased.

k. One indicator that additional functional obsolescence is present such that the allowance provided by the scales should be adjusted is the presence of new and/or replacement facilities making the existing building surplus. Such replacement or other material redundancy should be considered and may result in the total redundancy of the pre-existing building, i.e. 100% obsolescence.

l. If at the Antecedent Valuation Date, where there are buildings, or parts of buildings, that through an established pattern of use have been unused for a number of years the area of these buildings, or parts of buildings, is to be excluded from the GIA.

m. This adjustment takes into account deficiencies in the actual building from an occupational point of view, which is not reflected in the ERC.

4.6.4 Flat roof allowance

Permanent Category 1 and 2 buildings with a flat roof are to receive an additional line entry allowance. The allowance is not to be applied to temporary buildings, stores, workshops or garages.

  1. a) £80 per m2 ARC of the footprint of the flat roof for buildings constructed up to and including 2004. b) £60 per m2 ARC of the footprint of the flat roof for buildings constructed after 2004.

  2. Where a building has varying roof types a reasonable apportionment should be made to arrive at the allowance.

  3. What is flat as opposed to a pitched roof will generally be self-evident. Flat roofing allowances will automatically apply here to all types of flat roof. In instances where an allowance is sought for pitched roofing caseworkers should seek advice from the National Valuation Unit before proceeding.

4.7 Stage 3 – Land Value

4.7.1 Land value is to be arrived at by having regard to values prevailing in the locality, in accordance with Rating Manual Vol 4: Section 3 and the 2017 Land Value Practice Note.

  • It is anticipated that developed land values will be generally based on industrial values in the locality with the exception of London where residential land values less 20% should be applied. Developed land values for all Billing Authorities on this basis are included at Appendix G1
  • Undeveloped land is to be taken at the amenity value in the locality are included at Appendix G2

4.7.2 In this context developed land shall be taken to be the land upon which any building is situated, hard standing, artificial sports pitches and landscaping surrounding the buildings. Undeveloped land will consist of playing fields, open grass land, tree shelter belts etc.

4.8 Stage 4 – De-capitalisation rate

4.8.1 Generally the higher statutory de-capitalisation rate should be applied to the Effective Capital Value (ECV) to arrive at an annual equivalent, however there are some training facilities which may fall within the definition of educational hereditament within the meaning of The Non-Domestic Rating (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Regulations 1989 and where they do so the lower rate is to be applied. In cases of doubt advice should be sought from the appropriate technical advisor in NVU. For ease of reference the prescribed decapitalisation rates are included in Table 1 below:

Table 1:

Country Rating List Year Standard or ‘Higher’ rate Public Sector or ‘Lower’ rate Public Sector Rate Application
England 2017 4.4% 2.6% Healthcare, Education and MoD
Wales 2017 3.8% 2.1% Healthcare, Education, MoD and Public Conveniences

4.9 Stage 5 – End Adjustments

4.9.1 Any advantage or disadvantage which might affect the value of the occupation of the hereditament as a whole should be reflected at this last stage. An adjustment under this head should not duplicate adjustments made elsewhere. Most hereditaments will not warrant further allowances at this stage and where allowances are appropriate, it is expected that they should not normally exceed 15%.

Appendix A

Stage 1 Building Costs

ITEM COST GUIDE REF COST £/m2 REMARKS
Police Stations with Custody 63A00C £1,850 Including vehicle docks but excluding garages and workshops
Stand-alone Custody Centres 63A00D £2,540 Including vehicle docks, plant rooms and all component parts of the main building
Garages/workshops 63A00E £760  
Vehicle examination facilities 63A00J £1,130 Up to 500m2
63A00G £900 500m2 to 2000m2  
Rifle ranges 63A00H £1,800  
Temporary Buildings 98H006 £684  
Stables 63A00L £890  
Kennels - - To be dealt with on their own merits

Note 1

The Stage 1 Costs for Divisional and regional HQ and Stand-alone Custody Centre hereditaments have been analysed so as to derive a single cost for the entirety of the main building i.e. to include vehicle docks, plant rooms etc all at the single rate. The only elements that should be costed individually are those separate and distinct facilities such as detached garages and vehicle workshops etc.

Stand-alone custody centres are a relatively new development in the police estate, as forces move towards centralised facilities. It will usually be evident which buildings should be valued as stand-alone custody centres, the majority of which were built from 2012 onwards. The majority use will be the custody suite itself, with ancillary offices dedicated to the running of the custody facility.

Note 2

Solar panels and wind turbines should be added for at the appropriate figure as given in the 2017 Rating Cost Guide.

Note 3

Where external sports facilities are present at Regional HQ’s they are to be costed in accordance with the guidance in the 2017 Rating Cost Guide.

Appendix B

Stage 1 – The Addition for External Works

External Works

An addition for external works will be made within the range of 5-20%. The following percentages would typically apply but are not intended to be prescriptive.

Police stations with Custody and Stand-alone Custody Centres

Description Addition
A site with almost 100% site coverage, will typically apply to central area sites with minimal ext. wks. 5.0%
A site with adequate car parking spaces for police vehicles and some staff/public parking but limited amount of landscaping. 10%
An extensive site with adequate car parking for police vehicles, staff and visitors and extensive landscaping. 20%
Stand-alone Custody Centre - a single rate of 15% will be adopted for all stand-alone custody centres. 15%

Notes:

1) External works are inclusive of external CCTV, fencing, security barriers, all hard standing and landscaped areas

2) Where multi-storey car parks are present, they are to be added for separately and an appropriate adjustment made to the external works addition if appropriate.

Description Cost Guide Ref Addition
Multi-storey car parks 98H011 £458 m2 or £10,300 per space
Basement car parks 98H012 £786/m2 or £17669/space
Single deck (steel) car parks See note# £6,350 per space

Note: Substantial multi-storey car parks should have a construction cost as per the above table. An additional cost code has been introduced to cover simple ‘meccano’ style car parks that consist of a single upper storey/deck. Consideration should be given to whether the cost should be applied to both the ground and upper deck. Where the single deck has been constructed over an existing concrete/tarmac car park with minimal alteration to the bottom storey then the cost should only be applied to the upper deck. In such circumstances the lower car park element will form part of the consideration to the external works addition.

Appendix C

Location adjustment

N.B. The Regions referred to are administrative areas and are not significant boundaries.

NORTH EAST REGION NORTH WEST REGION
Durham County 0.98   Cheshire 0.91
Northumberland 1.02   Greater Manchester 0.91
Tees Valley 1.01   Lancashire 0.91
Tyne and Wear 0.98   Merseyside 0.91
      Cumbria 0.91
         
YORKSHIRE and HUMBERSIDE REGION   SOUTH WESTERN REGION    
East Riding and North Lincolnshire 0.91   Cornwall 1.03
North Yorkshire 0.97   Devon 1.01
South Yorkshire 0.93   Dorset 1.03
West Yorkshire 0.91   Gloucestershire 1.02
      North Somerset 1.01
      Somerset 1.00
      Wiltshire 1.02
         
EAST MIDLANDS REGION   WEST MIDLANDS REGION    
Derbyshire 1.06   Herefordshire 0.91
Leicestershire and Rutland 1.04   Shropshire 0.93
Lincolnshire 1.05   Staffordshire 0.92
Northamptonshire 1.10   Warwickshire 0.96
Nottinghamshire 1.04   West Midlands 0.94
      Worcestershire 0.96
         
EAST OF ENGLAND REGION   SOUTH EAST REGION (EXCL. LONDON)    
Bedfordshire 1.03   Berkshire 1.12
Cambridgeshire 0.99   Buckinghamshire 1.11
Essex 1.04   East Sussex 1.14
Hertfordshire 1.07   Hampshire 1.09
Norfolk 0.96   Isle of Wight 1.08
Suffolk 0.98   Kent 1.13
      Oxfordshire 1.08
      Surrey 1.17
      West Sussex 1.12
         
WALES   CENTRAL LONDON SOUTH    
North Wales   Lambeth 1.17  
Flintshire 0.90   Southwark 1.17
Conwy 0.94   Wandsworth 1.19
Denbighshire 0.91      
Gwynedd 0.98   GREATER LONDON NORTH EAST  
Isle of Anglesey 0.96   Hackney 1.15
Wrexham 0.93   Haringey 1.18
      Newham 1.08
Mid Wales   Tower Hamlets 1.15  
Carmarthenshire 0.98   Barking and Dagenham 1.06
Ceredigion 1.01   Enfield 1.08
Powys 0.99   Havering 0.98
Pembrokeshire 0.93   Redbridge 1.05
      Waltham Forest 1.07
         
South Wales   GREATER LONDON NORTH WEST    
Blaenau Gwent 0.97   Barnet 1.09
Bridgend 0.95   Brent 1.11
Caerphilly 0.95   Ealing 1.16
Cardiff 0.96   Harrow 1.06
Monmouthshire 1.01   Hillingdon 1.07
Neath Port Talbot 0.90   Hounslow 1.06
Newport 0.96      
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 0.94   GREATER LONDON SOUTH EAST  
Swansea 0.94   Bexley 1.12
Torfaen 0.94   Bromley 1.09
Vale of Glamorgan 0.98   Croydon 1.12
      Greenwich 1.13
CENTRAL LONDON NORTH   Lewisham 1.10  
Camden 1.19      
City of London 1.11   GREATER LONDON SOUTH WEST  
Hammersmith and Fulham 1.18   Kingston Upon Thames 1.14
Islington 1.16   Merton 1.13
Kensington and Chelsea 1.23   Richmond Upon Thames 1.12
Westminster 1.19   Sutton 1.10

Appendix D

Contract Size Adjustment

The adjustment for contract size should be made having regard to the total ERC (after adjustment for location but before the addition for fees) in accordance with the following scales:

ERC £ % Adjustment
Up to 0.25 million + 10% max
0.5 million + 8%
0.75 million +6%
1.0 million +4%
1.5 million +2%
2.0 million +1%
3.0 million ZERO
4.0 million -1%
5.0 million -2%
7.0 million -3%
10.0 million -4%
15.0 million -5%
18.0 million -6%
20.0 million -7%
25.0 million -8%
35.0 million -9%
Over 40.0 million - 10.0% MAX

NB. Intermediate figures may be interpolated.

Appendix E

The addition for fees

Fees should be added at the percentages shown in the VOA published Cost Guide at Section 7. For convenience these are shown below inclusive of the 2% complexity addition. Note that minimum fees may apply to counter inversion.

Size of Contract % Adjustment Minimum fee
Sums up to £750,000 14%  
£750,000 to £1,499,000 13% £105,000
£1,500,000 to £3,999,999 11.5% £195,000
£4,000,000 to £7,499,999 10.5% £460,000
£7,500,000 to £14,999,999 9.5% £787,500
Over £15,000,000 9% £1,425,000

Appendix F

Age and obsolescence scales

Table 1: Civic Buildings Obsolescence Allowances - Police Stations

Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance
2017 0.00% 1985 40.00%
2016 0.75% 1984 40.75%
2015 1.50% 1983 44.00%
2014 2.50% 1982 47.25%
2013 3.50% 1981 50.50%
2012 4.75% 1980 53.75%
2011 6.00% 1979 54.50%
2010 7.25% 1978 55.00%
2009 8.50% 1977 55.50%
2008 10.00% 1976 56.00%
2007 11.25% 1975 56.50%
2006 12.75% 1974 56.75%
2005 14.25% 1973 57.25%
2004 15.75% 1972 57.50%
2003 17.25% 1971 58.00%
2002 18.75% 1970 58.25%
2001 20.25% 1969 58.50%
2000 21.75% 1968 58.50%
1999 23.25% 1967 58.75%
1998 24.50% 1966 59.00%
1997 26.00% 1965 59.00%
1996 27.50% 1964 59.25%
1995 28.75% 1963 59.25%
1994 30.00% 1962 60.00%
1993 31.25% 1961 60.00%
1992 32.50% 1960 60.00%
1991 33.75% 1959 57.50%
1990 35.00% 1958 55.00%
1989 36.00% 1957 55.00%
1988 37.00% 1956 55.00%
1987 38.00% 1955 and earlier 55.00%
1986 39.00%    

Table 2 – Industrial Buildings Obsolescence Table - Separate and distinct stores

Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance
2017 0.00% 1985 27%
2016 0.50% 1984 28%
2015 1.00% 1983 29%
2014 1.50% 1982 30%
2013 2.00% 1981 31%
2012 2.50% 1980 32%
2011 3.00% 1979 33%
2010 3.50% 1978 34%
2009 4.00% 1977 35%
2008 4.50% 1976 36%
2007 5% 1975 37%
2006 6% 1974 38%
2005 7% 1973 39%
2004 8% 1972 40%
2003 9% 1971 41%
2002 10% 1970 42%
2001 11% 1969 43%
2000 12% 1968 44%
1999 13% 1967 45%
1998 14% 1966 46%
1997 15% 1965 47%
1996 16% 1964 48%
1995 17% 1963 49%
1994 18% 1962 50%
1993 19% 1961 50%
1992 20% 1960 50%
1991 21% 1959 50%
1990 22% 1958 50%
1989 23% 1957 50%
1988 24% 1956 50%
1987 25% 1955 and earlier 50%
1986 26%    

Notes Applicable to Table 2

  1. As noted above, the scale of allowances commonly referred to as “the Monsanto scale” (derived from the approach determined in Monsanto v Farris (VO) 1998 RA 217) continue to be applicable to Industrial buildings.

  2. The scales refer to the actual age of the specific item. A notional age can be adopted where the item has undergone significant improvement or refurbishment.

  3. The scales do not provide for physical obsolescence alone. They also reflect the expected degree of functional and technical obsolescence for an asset of that age.

  4. Any extraordinary functional or technical obsolescence may result in an additional allowance being considered. Examples include superfluity for modern purposes or where new technology evidences that the actual asset is relatively inefficient. Where an additional allowance is made the reasons for it must be stated in the valuation notes.

  5. An element of risk of failure and the requirement of the tenant to replace the item at the end of its useful life is incorporated in the allowances.

  6. It should not be automatically assumed that because a property is old it merits an allowance. Age in itself is not a disability but rather what often flows from age.

  7. The scales are intended to provide a degree of uniformity of allowance. They should be regarded as the maximum allowances to be given.

  8. The scales should only be used as guidance in accordance with the principles outlined in the Rating Manual.

  9. Allowances in excess of 50% for buildings or P and M should only be adopted in exceptional circumstances. It is unlikely that many very old buildings exist which have not undergone some form of modernisation or refurbishment. Where a building or piece of plant has obviously not undergone refurbishment or modernisation at some stage it is permissible to give allowances up to a maximum of 65% as indicated in the scales (below).

  10. Allowances may be up to 50% higher from those shown in the scales for structures which are of a temporary nature and have continued in use well beyond their intended life span.

  11. It should not be assumed automatically that because an item of plant or machinery is old it merits an allowance. If an asset is well maintained the amount of use may well not affect the item or its value. However, with age the risk of breakdown is likely to increase and functional and technological obsolescence factors are likely to become prevalent. These factors must be borne in mind when selecting an appropriate obsolescence allowance.

  12. The scales of allowances therefore take into account the average use of items over a period of time, bearing in mind the physical, functional and technical obsolescence that may occur during the stated period.

  13. Where judgement through actual knowledge of the item is inconsistent with the allowance scales the item should be valued accordingly recording the reasons for the divergence from the scale.

  14. In any instance of variation from the scales in accordance with these instructions, the reasoning for this must be recorded in the valuation.

Table 3 - Temporary Buildings Obsolescence Table (Category 3 buildings)

Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance Year of Building Completion % Age and Obsolescence Allowance
2016 1.5 2002 22.5 1988 43.5
2015 3.0 2001 24.0 1987 45.0
2014 4.5 2000 25.5 1986 46.5
2013 6.0 1999 27.0 1985 48.0
2012 7.5 1998 28.5 1984 49.5
2011 9.0 1997 30.0 1983 51.0
2010 10.5 1996 31.5 1982 52.5
2009 12.0 1995 33.0 1981 54.0
2008 13.5 1994 34.5 1980 55.5
2007 15.0 1993 36.0 1979 57.0
2006 16.5 1992 37.5 1978 58.5
2005 18.0 1991 39.0 1977 60.0
2004 19.5 1990 40.5 Pre 1977 By agreement
2003 21.0 1989 42.0    

Appendix G1

Developed Land Values

BA Code Geographic Regions and Billing Authorities Developed Land Values
  South East  
3110 Oxford £1,730,000
435 Milton Keynes £1,000,000
405 Aylesbury Vale £865,000
3105 Cherwell £1,235,500
3125 West Oxfordshire £990,000
1705 Basingstoke and Deane £1,500,000
1765 Winchester £1,250,000
1780 Southampton £1,250,000
3805 Adur £1,450,000
2235 Maidstone £1,350,000
335 Bracknell Forest £1,600,000
340 West Berkshire £1,200,000
345 Reading £2,000,000
350 Slough £1,750,000
355 Windsor and Maidenhead £1,700,000
360 Wokingham £1,500,000
1410 Eastbourne £1,000,000
1415 Hastings £750,000
1425 Lewes £1,000,000
1430 Rother £1,000,000
1435 Wealden £1,200,000
1445 Brighton and Hove £1,500,000
2205 Ashford £1,000,000
2210 Canterbury £1,000,000
2215 Dartford £1,500,000
2220 Dover £500,000
2230 Gravesham £1,350,000
2245 Sevenoaks £1,400,000
2250 Shepway £850,000
2255 Swale £1,100,000
2260 Thanet £650,000
2265 Tonbridge and Malling £1,350,000
2270 Tunbridge Wells £1,200,000
2280 Medway £1,250,000
3605 Elmbridge £2,000,000
3610 Epsom and Ewell £1,750,000
3615 Guildford £1,700,000
3620 Mole Valley £1,650,000
3625 Reigate and Banstead £1,600,000
3630 Runnymede £1,900,000
3635 Spelthorne £2,000,000
3640 Surrey Heath £1,600,000
3645 Tandridge £1,500,000
3650 Waverley £1,400,000
3655 Woking £1,600,000
3810 Arun £1,450,000
3815 Chichester £1,300,000
3820 Crawley £2,000,000
3825 Horsham £1,450,000
3830 Mid Sussex £1,450,000
3835 Worthing £1,450,000
410 South Buckinghamshire £2,000,000
415 Chiltern £925,000
425 Wycombe £1,235,500
3115 South Oxfordshire £990,000
3120 Vale of White Horse £445,000
1710 East Hampshire £1,250,000
1715 Eastleigh £1,100,000
1720 Fareham £950,000
1725 Gosport £800,000
1730 Hart £1,200,000
1735 Havant £1,000,000
2100 Isle of Wight £500,000
1740 New Forest £750,000
1775 Portsmouth £1,250,000
1750 Rushmoor £1,500,000
1760 Test Valley £800,000
  East Midlands  
2820 Kettering £725,000
2230 South Northamptonshire £800,000
2465 Leicester £595,000
1055 Derby £545,000
3060 Nottingham £480,000
2515 Lincoln £320,000
2530 South Kestevan £320,000
2825 Northampton £800,000
3010 Bassetlaw £480,000
2410 Charnwood £500,000
2805 Corby £550,000
2810 Daventry £800,000
2815 East Northamptonshire £750,000
2835 Wellingborough £750,000
1005 Amber Valley £300,000
1010 Bolsover £350,000
1015 Chesterfield £350,000
1025 Erewash £250,000
1030 High Peak £425,000
1035 North East Derbyshire £300,000
1040 South Derbyshire £500,000
1045 Derbyshire Dales £375,000
2405 Blaby £500,000
2415 Harborough £550,000
2420 Hinckley and Bosworth £450,000
2430 Melton £450,000
2435 North West Leicestershire £400,000
2440 Oadby and Wigston £550,000
2505 Boston £225,000
2510 East Lindsey £300,000
2520 North Kesteven £320,000
2525 South Holland £325,000
2535 West Lindsey £275,000
3005 Ashfield £360,000
3015 Broxtowe £340,000
3020 Gedling £480,000
3025 Mansfield £325,000
3030 Newark and Sherwood £360,000
3040 Rushcliffe £370,000
2470 Rutland £400,000
  East  
505 Cambridge £875,000
1915 East Hertfordshire £1,200,000
1505 Basildon £1,250,000
530 South Cambridgshire £875,000
540 Peterborough £750,000
1550 Rochford £500,000
2625 Norwich £525,000
3515 Ipswich £605,000
1920 Hertsmere £1,200,000
1530 Colchester £650,000
510 East Cambridgeshire £450,000
515 Fenland £300,000
520 Huntingdonshire £750,000
1510 Braintree £550,000
1515 Brentwood £800,000
1520 Castle Point £500,000
1525 Chelmsford £750,000
1535 Epping Forest £800,000
1540 Harlow £900,000
1545 Maldon £500,000
1560 Tendring £500,000
1570 Uttlesford £750,000
1590 Southend-on-Sea £1,250,000
1595 Thurrock £1,750,000
2605 Breckland £325,000
2610 Broadland £300,000
2615 Great Yarmouth £300,000
2620 North Norfolk £225,000
2630 South Norfolk £325,000
2635 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk £450,000
3505 Babergh £265,000
3510 Forest Heath £495,000
3520 Mid Suffolk £295,000
3525 St Edmundsbury £295,000
3530 Suffolk Coastal £245,000
3535 Waveney £295,000
1905 Broxbourne £1,700,000
1910 Dacorum £1,800,000
1930 St Albans £1,300,000
1935 Stevenage £1,300,000
1940 Three Rivers £1,800,000
1945 Watford £1,500,000
1950 Welwyn Hatfield £1,500,000
235 Bedford £800,000
240 Central Bedfordshire £800,000
230 Luton £1,300,000
1925 North Hertfordshire £1,300,000
  North East  
4510 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne £235,000
2935 Northumberland £135,000
4525 Sunderland £200,000
734 Middlesborough £195,000
1355 Durham £180,000
1350 Darlington £175,000
724 Hartlepool £180,000
728 Redcar and Cleveland £150,000
738 Stockton-on-Tees £150,000
4520 South Tyneside £200,000
4505 Gateshead £205,000
4515 North Tyneside £195,000
  North West  
4215 Manchester £650,000
4235 Stockport £525,000
2345 Preston £600,000
665 Cheshire W and Chester £225,000
4205 Bolton £550,000
4250 Wigan £450,000
915 Carlisle £370,000
930 South Lakeland £500,000
4310 Liverpool £440,000
655 Warrington £740,000
650 Halton £290,000
660 Cheshire East £220,000
905 Allerdale £150,000
910 Barrow-in-Furness £225,000
920 Copeland £150,000
925 Eden £250,000
2315 Burnley £450,000
2320 Chorley £600,000
2325 Fylde £400,000
2330 Hyndburn £475,000
2335 Lancaster £525,000
2340 Pendle £400,000
2350 Ribble Valley £550,000
2355 Rossendale £475,000
2360 South Ribble £600,000
2365 West Lancashire £310,000
2370 Wyre £400,000
2372 Blackburn with Darwen £500,000
2373 Blackpool £400,000
4210 Bury £575,000
4220 Oldham £500,000
4225 Rochdale £500,000
4230 Salford £500,000
4240 Tameside £475,000
4245 Trafford £800,000
4305 Knowsley £440,000
4315 St Helens £310,000
4320 Sefton £370,000
4325 Wirral £200,000
  South West  
1250 Bournemouth £950,000
1235 Weymouth and Portland £750,000
1110 Exeter £800,000
1115 North Devon £275,000
1160 Plymouth £375,000
840 Cornwall £350,000
3315 Taunton Deane £925,000
114 Bath and NE Somerset £1,100,000
119 South Gloucestershire £1,000,000
3935 Swindon £850,000
116 Bristol £1,000,000
121 North Somerset £680,000
835 Isles of Scilly £350,000
1105 East Devon £400,000
1125 South Hams £300,000
1130 Teignbridge £350,000
1135 Mid Devon £300,000
1145 Torridge £375,000
1150 West Devon £300,000
1165 Torbay £400,000
1210 Christchurch £800,000
1215 North Dorset £600,000
1225 Purbeck £700,000
1230 West Dorset £600,000
1240 East Dorset £600,000
1255 Poole £950,000
1605 Cheltenham £1,000,000
1610 Cotswold £850,000
1615 Forest of Dean £250,000
1620 Gloucester £900,000
1625 Stroud £850,000
1630 Tewkesbury £900,000
3305 Mendip £430,000
3310 Sedgemoor £740,000
3320 West Somerset £310,000
3325 South Somerset £860,000
3940 Wiltshire £740,000
  West Midlands  
4605 Birmingham £950,000
4610 Coventry £800,000
4620 Sandwell £495,000
4635 Wolverhampton £495,000
3415 Lichfield £600,000
3245 Shropshire £500,000
3455 Stoke-on-Trent £475,000
3725 Warwick £750,000
1835 Worcester £650,000
1845 Wyre Forest £650,000
1805 Bromsgrove £700,000
1825 Redditch £700,000
1840 Wychavon £620,000
1850 Herefordshire £475,000
1860 Malvern Hills £580,000
3240 Telford and Wrekin £500,000
3405 Cannock Chase £600,000
3410 East Staffordshire £600,000
3420 Newcastle-under-Lyme £475,000
3425 Stafford £475,000
3430 South Staffordshire £500,000
3435 Staffordshire Moorlands £400,000
3445 Tamworth £500,000
3705 North Warwickshire £700,000
3710 Nuneaton and Bedworth £700,000
3715 Rugby £750,000
3720 Stratford-on-Avon £700,000
4615 Dudley £515,000
4625 Solihull £550,000
4630 Walsall £515,000
  Yorkshire and Humber  
2715 Harrogate £375,000
2741 City of York £375,000
4705 Bradford £500,000
4710 Calderdale £475,000
4720 Leeds £650,000
4410 Doncaster £550,000
2002 North East Lincolnshire £320,000
2001 East Riding of Yorkshire £615,000
4420 Sheffield £600,000
4405 Barnsley £500,000
2705 Craven £300,000
2710 Hambleton £350,000
2720 Richmondshire £300,000
2725 Ryedale £300,000
2730 Scarborough £325,000
2735 Selby £425,000
4415 Rotherham £550,000
4715 Kirklees £475,000
4725 Wakefield £550,000
2002 North Lincolnshire £225,000
2004 Kingston upon Hull £440,000
  Central London, North  
5210 Camden £36,000,000
5030 City of London £36,000,000
5990 City of Westminster £36,000,000
5390 Hammersmith and Fulham £36,000,000
5570 Islington £36,000,000
5600 Kensington and Chelsea £36,000,000
  Central London, South  
5660 Lambeth £13,600,000
5840 Southwark £13,600,000
5960 Wandsworth £13,600,000
  Greater London, North West  
5090 Barnet £2,960,000
5150 Brent £2,960,000
5270 Ealing £2,960,000
5450 Harrow £2,960,000
5510 Hillingdon £2,960,000
5540 Hounslow £2,960,000
  Greater London, South West  
5630 Kingston upon Thames £10,400,000
5720 Merton £10,400,000
5810 Richmond upon Thames £10,400,000
5870 Sutton £10,400,000
  Greater London, North East  
5060 Barking and Dagenham £4,400,000
5300 Enfield £4,400,000
5360 Hackney £4,400,000
5420 Haringey £4,400,000
5480 Havering £4,400,000
5750 Newham £4,400,000
5780 Redbridge £4,400,000
5900 Tower Hamlets £4,400,000
5930 Waltham Forest £4,400,000
  Greater London, South East  
5120 Bexley £5,600,000
5180 Bromley £5,600,000
5240 Croydon £5,600,000
5330 Greenwich £5,600,000
5690 Lewisham £5,600,000
  South Wales (exc Cardiff)  
6825 Carmarthenshire (1) £209,950
6828 Carmarthenshire (2) £98,800
6829 Carmarthenshire (3) £185,250
6840 Monmouthshire £345,800
6845 Pembrokeshire £148,200
6855 Swansea £308,750
6910 Blaenau Gwent £185,000
6915 Bridgend £308,750
6920 Caerphilly £250,000
6925 Merthyr Tydfil £185,000
6930 Neath Port Talbot £148,200
6935 Newport £370,500
6940 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff £250,000
6945 Torfaen £308,750
6950 Vale of Glamorgan £370,500
6815 Cardiff £494,000
  Mid and North Wales  
6805 Isle of Anglesey £160,000
6810 Gwynedd £160,000
6820 Ceredigion £90,000
6830 Denbighshire £135,000
6835 Flintshire £180,000
6850 Powys (1) £160,000
6853 Powys (2) £150,000
6854 Powys (3) £175,000
6905 Conwy £150,000
6955 Wrexham £370,000

Appendix G2

Undeveloped Land Value

Amenity land values to be use by region

Geographic Region £ per hectare (ha)
Central London N £250,000
Central London S £250,000
GLNW £250,000
GLSW £250,000
GLNE £250,000
GLSE £250,000
North East £50,000
North West £75,000
Yorkshire and Humberside £75,000
East Midlands £75,000
West Midlands £75,000
East of England £75,000
South East £100,000
South West £75,000
Mid and North Wales £30,000
South Wales (excl Cardiff) £35,000
Cardiff £40,000

The definitions of the areas referred to above can be found in the 2017 Land Value Practice Note.