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List Description: Ambulance Station and Premises

SCat Code: 010 Suffix G

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).

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.

Ambulance stations are a suigeneris 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.

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

In some circumstances it may be appropriate to have regard to rental evidence derived from other modes or categories of use such as general garaging/light industrial see 8. below and Re the appeal of Reeves (VO) RA 2007.

6.1 Method of Measurement

Ambulance stations may be valued by either the rentals method or by reference to the contractors basis. In both instances the method of measurement will be to Gross Internal Area (GIA). It will be necessary to ascertain the basis of valuation prior to inspection as different additional information will be required. 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

Ambulance stations comprise garage and preparation areas for vehicles with associated stores (such as for drugs and PPE), sluice room/dirty utility room, staff locker, changing and mess rooms with toilet facilities and ancillary space such as plant rooms. Other accommodation, such as administration offices, meeting rooms or training facilities are also commonly present. Some ambulance stations may also house the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).

A few stations are equipped with a fuel pump to refuel ambulance vehicles and vehicle workshops. There will normally be external hard standings and possibly a communications mast.

From 2010 some ASTs have re-organised the provision of ambulance services and have consolidated and modernised their estates by fully implementing a hub and spoke estates model with make ready operational system. Co-location with the other blue light services or local authorities is also common.

6.3 Requirements

A) Unit of Assessment

The principles referred to inRating Manual Section 2 Part 2 2. Identification of the hereditamentshould 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.
• Method of construction - e.g. temporary, traditional/permanent brick and tile or steel framed including roof type e.g. flat or pitched.
• When usingthe rentals method in addition to total GIAdescription and GIAs of ancillary accommodationof differing quality than the rest of the building i.e. offices, stores, crew room, bunk room/living quarters, station office, kitchen area, equipment store, sluice room - cleaning equipment, clean linen store, oxygen cylinder store, shower facilities etc. recorded separately. Ambulance bays - number and dimensions including height, together with description of internal finish should also be noted.
• Where the contractors basis is to be the method of valuation only the GIA of individual building(s) and any extensions but a note should be made of the proportion of the total area which is given
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