Rating Manual section 5a: valuation of all property classes

Airports — practice note 2026

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

Practice note 1: 2026 — minor airports

1. Market appraisal

1.1 General Aviation

1.1.1 General aviation (GA) is a diverse sector, at one end of the spectrum are high value business aircraft; at the other end gliders, paragliders and hang gliders. GA also serves many purposes, including business usage, sports and recreational activities, and as a means of personal transport.

1.1.2 Many parts of GA are growing, in particular the business aviation market and the smaller end of the market (such as microlights and helicopters). GA airfield income derives from estate income, fuel sales, parking, hangarage, and landing fees. In respect of landing fees, those for general light aviation remain modest, typically at around £15 to £25.

1.1.3 The vast majority of civil aircraft registered in the UK engaged in GA operations. The single most common class of aircraft is the fixed-wing light aircraft associated with traditional GA, but the main area of growth over the last 20 years has been in the use of more affordable aircraft, such as microlights, and small helicopters. Whilst operating sites range from international airports to grass airstrips on farms, the bulk of GA activity takes place at larger ex-wartime aerodromes.

2. Changes from the last practice note

2.1 There are no major changes from the 2023 approach for GA and minor sites using a contractor’s basis of valuation. Whilst some of the minor airports are profitable commercial ventures, the majority are not and the motive for occupying is club and hobby flying activities.

3. Ratepayer discussions

3.1 Since 1990 there has been a major (Category A) airport user group. This includes National Valuation Unit (NVU) specialist valuers, representation from the Scottish Assessors’ Association (SAA), in-house airport surveyors and private practice surveyors. Though the resulting agreements on previous Rating Lists have no binding force, they have been followed in almost all cases since 1990 and have established a basis of valuation for this class. For 2023 a Receipts and Expenditure (R&E) valuation method was adopted and no discussions have been held with the major airport user group, although meetings have been held with individual airports.

3.2 For 2026 discussions have been held with the British Gliding Association (BGA) and it is hoped discussions can be arranged with representatives of the minor airport operators.

4. Valuation scheme

4.1 Due to the absence of clean rental evidence, the contractor’s basis is used for minor airports. The rating manual entry for the valuation methodology should be consulted for guidance on the general approach.

4.2 Location factors and contract size adjustments are applicable to the stage 1 costs itemised in the tables below which cover the valuation of minor airports and other similar hereditaments.

4.3 The costs shown in this section are for ease of reference. In all cases where a cost guide code is shown that must be input into the non-bulk server (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 differing costs to those shown in a current version of this practice note, please refer to the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecom team.

4.4 Stage 1 Estimated Replacement Cost

(i) Building Costs

Costs can be found within The Cost Guide and input into the NBS template.

Pavement and building costs are shown below.

Table A — Minor Airport Pavement Costs

Cost Guide Code	PCN Code	ERC £ per m2
70501A	10	£69
70501B	11	£72
70501C	12	£75
70501D	13	£78
70501E	14	£81
70501F	15	£84
70501G	16	£87
70501H	17	£90
70501J	18	£92
70501K	19	£95
70501L	20	£96
70501M	21	£99
70501N	22	£101
70501P	23	£104
70501Q	24	£105
70501R	25	£107
70501S	26	£108
70501T	27	£111
70501U	28	£113
70501V	29	£114
70501W	30	£116
70501X	31	£117
70501Y	32	£119
70501Z	33	£120
70502A	34	£120
70502B	35	£122
70502C	36	£123
70502D	37	£125
70502E	38	£126
70502F	39	£128
70502G	40	£129
70502H	41	£131
70502J	42	£132
70502K	43	£132
70502L	44	£134
70502M	45	£135
70502N	46	£137
70502P	47	£138
70502Q	48	£138
70502R	49	£140
70502S	50	£141
70502T	51	£143
70502U	52	£143
70502V	53	£144
70502W	54	£146
70502X	55	£146
70502Y	56	£147
70502Z	57	£149
70503A	58	£150
70503C	60	£152
70503D	61	£153
70503E	62	£155
70503F	63	£155
70503G	64	£156
70503H	65	£158
70503J	66	£158
70503K	67	£159
70503L	68	£161
70503M	69	£161
70503N	70	£162
70503P	71	£164
70503Q	72	£164
70503R	73	£165
70503S	74	£167
70503T	75	£167
70503U	76	£168
70503V	77	£170
70503W	78	£171
70503X	79	£173
70503Y	80	£174
70503Z	81	£174
70504A	82	£176
70504B	83	£176
70504C	84	£177
70504D	85	£179
70504E	86	£179
70504F	87	£180
70504G	88	£182
70504H	89	£183
70504J	90	£185
70504K	91	£185
70504L	92	£185
70504M	93	£186
70504N	93+	£189

(Pavement stage 2 allowances are shown in the next section)

Description notes

The costs include for excavations and disposal of surplus materials arising from the excavations being disposed on site. Pavement construction comprises imported limestone fill, lean mix concrete sub-base and slip form paved pavement quality concrete and associated drainage and Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) ducting.

Minor Airports — Other Buildings

Building type	Code	Explanation of building	Cost
Hangars	41P64A	Basic uninsulated hangar, sheet metal cladding, 3m eaves height 500-1000m2	£582/m2
Fire Stations and Crash and Rescue	70500Z	Modern buildings incorporating 4 bay tender/crash vehicle stands with front opening doors, vehicle exhaust system for engine warm up, stores, crew accommodation including offices, kitchen and mess rooms, locker rooms, showers and washroom, communications centre.	£2,970/m2
Fire Stations and Crash and Rescue	63A00E	Basic vehicle garage up to 500m2	£1,143/m2
Visual Control Room (VCR) (Civil Airport)	70510A	Modern visual control room with all-round visibility, sloping windows, with small bars for maximum vision to all sides of the airport, balcony external and access by vertical ladder or stairs from fire station or other building below.	£14,015/m2

Description notes

Maximum GIA expected to be 65m2 for the VCR only. Cost excludes any supporting structure.

Note the VCR at minor airports is normally located above office accommodation and not as elaborate as the example above, costs to reflect this.

(ii) External Works

If not individually costed, then a percentage addition is to be added.

(iii) Location Factors

Where appropriate costs should be adjusted for location by reference to the Location Factors set down in the 2026 Rating Cost Guide and shown below.

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

North East region

Area	Location factor
Durham County	0.89
Northumberland	0.93
Tees Valley	0.92
Tyne and Wear	0.89

North West region

Area	Location factor
Cheshire	1.01
Greater Manchester	1.01
Lancashire	1.01
Merseyside	1.01
Cumbria	1.02

Yorkshire and Humberside region

Area	Location factor
East Riding and North Lincolnshire	0.90
North Yorkshire	0.96
South Yorkshire	0.92
West Yorkshire	0.90

South West region

Area	Location factor
Cornwall	1.03
Devon	1.00
Dorset	1.03
Gloucestershire	1.02
North Somerset	1.01
Somerset	0.99
Wiltshire	1.01

East midlands region

Area	Location factor
Derbyshire	1.03
Leicestershire and Rutland	1.02
Lincolnshire	1.02
Northamptonshire	1.07
Nottinghamshire	1.01

West midlands region

Area	Location factor
Herefordshire	0.94
Shropshire	0.97
Staffordshire	0.95
Warwickshire	1.00
West Midlands	0.97
Worcestershire	1.00

East of England region

Area	Location factor
Bedfordshire	1.03
Cambridgeshire	0.99
Essex	1.02
Hertfordshire	1.06
Norfolk	0.95
Suffolk	0.96

South East region (excluding London)

Area	Location factor
Berkshire	1.09
Buckinghamshire	1.08
East Sussex	1.10
Hampshire	1.06
Isle of Wight	1.06
Kent	1.10
Oxfordshire	1.05
Surrey	1.15
West Sussex	1.09

North Wales

Area	Location factor
Flintshire	0.88
Conwy	0.93
Denbighshire	0.89
Gwynedd	0.96
Isle of Anglesey	0.94
Wrexham	0.91

Mid Wales

Area	Location factor
Carmarthenshire	0.97
Ceredigion	0.98
Powys	0.96
Pembrokeshire	0.91

South Wales

Area	Location factor
Blaenau Gwent	0.95
Bridgend	0.92
Caerphilly	0.93
Cardiff	0.93
Monmouthshire	0.98
Neath Port Talbot	0.88
Newport	0.95
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff	0.92
Swansea	0.93
Torfaen	0.90
Vale of Glamorgan	0.96

Central London North

Area	Location factor
Camden	1.30
City of London	1.22
Hammersmith and Fulham	1.30
Islington	1.27
Kensington and Chelsea	1.32
Westminster	1.29

Central London South

Area	Location factor
Lambeth	1.26
Southwark	1.27
Wandsworth	1.28

Greater London North East

Area	Location factor
Hackney	1.23
Haringey	1.31
Newham	1.17
Tower Hamlets	1.24
Barking and Dagenham	1.16
Enfield	1.17
Havering	1.08
Redbridge	1.14
Waltham Forest	1.16

Greater London North West

Area	Location factor
Barnet	1.22
Brent	1.20
Ealing	1.26
Harrow	1.17
Hillingdon	1.15
Hounslow	1.14

Greater London South East

Area	Location factor
Bexley	1.23
Bromley	1.19
Croydon	1.22
Greenwich	1.23
Lewisham	1.19

Greater London South West

Area	Location factor
Kingston Upon Thames	1.24
Merton	1.23
Richmond Upon Thames	1.20
Sutton	1.18

(iv) Contract Size Adjustment

An adjustment for contract size is to be made to the building cost in accordance with the 2026 Valuation Office Cost Guide shown below.

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

(v) Professional Fees and Charges

Fees should be added at 9%.

4.5 Stage 2 — Minor Airport Allowances

For most age and obsolescence allowances the generic age and obsolescence scales should be referred to — see the generic contractor’s basis practice note on this topic. For minor airports the following pavement allowances are appropriate. 

Table B — Minor airport concrete pavement allowances — runways, taxiways and aprons

Year	% Age-related allowance
2026	0.00
2025	0.00
2024	0.00
2023	0.00
2022	0.00
2021	0.00
2020	0.00
2019	0.00
2018	0.00
2017	0.00
2016	0.00
2015	0.50
2014	1.00
2013	1.50
2012	2.00
2011	2.50
2010	3.00
2009	3.50
2008	4.00
2007	4.50
2006	5.00
2005	5.50
2004	6.00
2003	6.50
2002	7.00
1992	12.00
1991	12.50
1990	13.00
1989	13.50
1988	14.00
1987	14.50
1986	15.00
1985	15.00
1984	15.00
1983	15.00
1982	15.00
1981	15.00
1980	15.00
1979	15.00
1978	15.00
1977	15.00
1976	15.00
1975	15.00
1974	15.00
1973	15.00
1972	15.00
1971	15.00
1970	15.00
1969	15.00
1968 and before	15% max allowance

4.6 Stage 3 — Land Value at Minor Airports

Developed land value calculated as follows:

Land under buildings should be taken as general industrial levels of value in the locality — double footprint.

Land under runways, taxiways, aprons, car parks and roads should be valued at 10% of industrial level of value.

Undeveloped land

Agricultural value applicable to the locality

Region	Land Value per hectare
South East	£25,000
East Midlands	£21,000
East	£23,000
North East	£17,000
North West	£23,000
South West	£25,000
West Midlands	£23,500
Yorkshire & Humber	£23,500
South Wales	£21,000
Mid and North Wales	£21,000

Note land value guidance is provided by District Valuer Services (DVS), reference should be made to the R2026 Land Value Practice Note.

4.7 Stage 4 — De-capitalisation Rate

The effective capital value (ECV) of the hereditament shall be de-capitalised to an annual equivalent by taking the prescribed (higher) rate.

4.8 Stage 5 — End Adjustments

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 and most sites will not warrant further allowances at this stage.

1. Airspace restrictions — airspace restrictions are defined as statutory air space restrictions imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), restrictions arising from the Air Navigation Orders, restrictions arising from neighbours, and air safety requirements. At their most severe these restrictions will limit the times and duration of airfield operations, including limitations on the circuits that can be flown. A medium restriction would be where local air traffic routes limit operations in the immediate vicinity of the site (for example, within 5 nautical miles), or where it is necessary to have a local operational agreement with a local airport/airfield operator. At the lower end of the scale would be airspace restricting area navigational access to a site or physical restrictions caused by objects such as wind turbines.

2. Access restrictions — airfields are often remote to public access roads and/or have restrictions imposed by third parties. Flying clubs rely on adequate public access, so such restrictions can limit/restrict club viability. The severity of such restrictions is site specific and should not require any specialist knowledge to evaluate. At the severe level access might be over unmade roads owned by third parties with restrictions on access. Sites remote from public highways might be at a medium level.

3. Non-exclusive site use — many if not most airfield sites have a shared use, most commonly a dual agricultural use. For example, clubs may share their sites with grazing animals requiring the herding of animals prior to and post flying, with the attendant problems of animal faeces. This restricts hours of operation and increases costs. At its most severe the site is in effect in agricultural use with flying being a secondary use. Here the hours of operation in each type of use may be the best indication of the severity of this restriction. The restrictions in this category are caused by consecutive use as distinguished from (4.) below where the issue is concurrent use.

4. Multiple site use — flying clubs rarely have sole use of an airfield and its environs and have to operate in parallel with other commercial or sports organisations. Adjacent land may have agricultural or commercial use that restricts flying operations. Similarly many clubs have adjacent commercial operations and traffic which restrict operations. At its most severe a club might have to permanently limit the area useable for flying operations, or cease operations in certain wind directions. Again the degree and period of restriction should be used to categorise the severity of the restriction.

5. Public rights of way — many flying clubs are in national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), or similar attractive areas desirable to tourists, ramblers etc. The statutory rights to roam and/or public footpaths adjacent to, or across an airfield cause significant operational restrictions. These may require the operation of safety procedures restricting frequency of flights and may vary according to wind direction. Such restrictions should be able to be measured subjectively in relation to the duration of restrictions, or the effect on flight frequency.

6. Planning restrictions — many sites have planning restrictions that limit air navigational use. These restrictions may cover timing, frequency and/or the type of air navigational operations that are allowed.

7. Statutory restrictions — many flying clubs occupy sites formally owned or partially owned by a statutory authority (usually the Ministry of Defence). In most cases the authority limits the use of land that is in, or was, in its ownership.

4.8.1 Summary

The effect of restrictions such as those above may have a parallel or cumulative effect on the operations of a club. While it is recognised that end allowances are by their nature subjective, there needs to be some form of objective framework that provides a consistency of approach and valuation. Typically we would suggest that a club that has multiple limitations of a medium to severe level be allocated the highest end allowances.

The total end allowance would not be expected to exceed 25%.

 4.9 Category B1 to D Minor Airports, Airstrips, Heliports and Helipads

In cases of difficulty with identification, assistance can be sought from the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecoms team.

Category B1 Airports — SCAT Code 005U — Licenced Asphalt runway.

Category B2 Airports — SCAT Code 005U — Unlicensed Asphalt runway.

Category C1 Airstrips — SCAT Code 006G — Airstrips, Farm strips, Microlight sites, Gliding sites.

Category C2 Heliports and Helipads — SCAT Code 126U.

Category D — Private Airstrips — SCAT Code 006G — Airstrips, Farm strips.

Practice note 2: 2026 — airstrips, farm strips, gliding sites and microlight sites

1. Market appraisal

1.1 General aviation

1.1.1 GA is a diverse sector, at one end of the spectrum are high value business aircraft; at the other end gliders, paragliders and hang gliders. GA also serves many purposes, including business usage, sports and recreational activities, and as a means of personal transport.

Many parts of GA are growing, in particular the business aviation market and the smaller end of the market (such as microlights and helicopters). GA airfield income derives from estate income, fuel sales, parking, hangarage, and landing fees. In respect of landing fees, those for general light aviation remain modest, typically at around £15 to £25.

1.1.2 The vast majority of civil aircraft registered in the UK engaged in GA operations. The single most common class of aircraft is the fixed-wing light aircraft associated with traditional GA, but the main area of growth over the last 20 years has been in the use of more affordable aircraft, such as microlights, and small helicopters. Whilst operating sites range from international airports to grass airstrips on farms, the bulk of GA activity takes place at larger ex wartime aerodromes.

2. Changes from the last practice note

2.1 There are no major changes from the 2023 approach for GA and airfield sites using a contractor’s basis of valuation. Whilst some of the minor airports are profitable commercial ventures, the majority are not and the motive for occupying is club and hobby flying activities.

3. Ratepayer discussions

3.1 For 2026 discussions have been held with the BGA and attempts will be made to hold discussions with representatives of the minor airport operators.

4. Valuation scheme

4.1 Due to the absence of clean rental evidence, the contractor’s basis is used for Airstrips, Farm strips, Gliding sites and Microlight sites. The rating manual entry for the valuation methodology should be consulted for guidance on the general approach.

4.2 Location factors and contract size adjustments are applicable to the stage 1 costs itemised in the tables below which cover the valuation of Airstrips, Farm strips, Gliding sites and Microlight sites and other similar hereditaments.

4.3 The costs shown in this section are for ease of reference. In all cases where a cost guide code is shown that must be input into the non-bulk server (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 differing costs to those shown in a current version of this practice note, please refer to the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecom team.

4.4 Stage 1 estimated replacement cost

(i) Building costs

Costs can be found within The Cost Guide and input into the NBS template.

Hangar and other building costs are shown below.

Pavement costs are shown in Table A below.

Pavement stage 2 allowances are shown in Table B below.

(ii) External works

Addition for perimeter fencing, car parking, hardstanding and roads etc if not individually costed 2.5% to 5%

(iii) Location factors

Where appropriate costs should be adjusted for location by reference to the Location Factors set down in the 2026 Rating Cost Guide and shown below.

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

North East region

Area	Location factor
Durham County	0.89
Northumberland	0.93
Tees Valley	0.92
Tyne and Wear	0.89

North West region

Area	Location factor
Cheshire	1.01
Greater Manchester	1.01
Lancashire	1.01
Merseyside	1.01
Cumbria	1.02

Yorkshire and Humberside region

Area	Location factor
East Riding and North Lincolnshire	0.90
North Yorkshire	0.96
South Yorkshire	0.92
West Yorkshire	0.90

South West region

Area	Location factor
Cornwall	1.03
Devon	1.00
Dorset	1.03
Gloucestershire	1.02
North Somerset	1.01
Somerset	0.99
Wiltshire	1.01

East midlands region

Area	Location factor
Derbyshire	1.03
Leicestershire and Rutland	1.02
Lincolnshire	1.02
Northamptonshire	1.07
Nottinghamshire	1.01

West midlands region

Area	Location factor
Herefordshire	0.94
Shropshire	0.97
Staffordshire	0.95
Warwickshire	1.00
West Midlands	0.97
Worcestershire	1.00

East of England region

Area	Location factor
Bedfordshire	1.03
Cambridgeshire	0.99
Essex	1.02
Hertfordshire	1.06
Norfolk	0.95
Suffolk	0.96

South East region (excluding London)

Area	Location factor
Berkshire	1.09
Buckinghamshire	1.08
East Sussex	1.10
Hampshire	1.06
Isle of Wight	1.06
Kent	1.10
Oxfordshire	1.05
Surrey	1.15
West Sussex	1.09

North Wales

Area	Location factor
Flintshire	0.88
Conwy	0.93
Denbighshire	0.89
Gwynedd	0.96
Isle of Anglesey	0.94
Wrexham	0.91

Mid Wales

Area	Location factor
Carmarthenshire	0.97
Ceredigion	0.98
Powys	0.96
Pembrokeshire	0.91

South Wales

Area	Location factor
Blaenau Gwent	0.95
Bridgend	0.92
Caerphilly	0.93
Cardiff	0.93
Monmouthshire	0.98
Neath Port Talbot	0.88
Newport	0.95
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff	0.92
Swansea	0.93
Torfaen	0.90
Vale of Glamorgan	0.96

Central London North

Area	Location factor
Camden	1.30
City of London	1.22
Hammersmith and Fulham	1.30
Islington	1.27
Kensington and Chelsea	1.32
Westminster	1.29

Central London South

Area	Location factor
Lambeth	1.26
Southwark	1.27
Wandsworth	1.28

Greater London North East

Area	Location factor
Hackney	1.23
Haringey	1.31
Newham	1.17
Tower Hamlets	1.24
Barking and Dagenham	1.16
Enfield	1.17
Havering	1.08
Redbridge	1.14
Waltham Forest	1.16

Greater London North West

Area	Location factor
Barnet	1.22
Brent	1.20
Ealing	1.26
Harrow	1.17
Hillingdon	1.15
Hounslow	1.14

Greater London South East

Area	Location factor
Bexley	1.23
Bromley	1.19
Croydon	1.22
Greenwich	1.23
Lewisham	1.19

Greater London South West

Area	Location factor
Kingston Upon Thames	1.24
Merton	1.23
Richmond Upon Thames	1.20
Sutton	1.18

(iv) Contract Size Adjustment

An adjustment for contract size is to be made to the building cost in accordance with the 2026 Valuation Office Cost Guide shown below.

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

(v) Professional Fees and Charges

Fees should be added at 9%

4.5 Airstrips — Grass

For gliding sites, a rolled and mown field typical size 1000m x 30m = 30,000sqm Valued at £1m2

If stabilised up to £2 sqm

Pavement costs (hardstanding areas runways, taxiways and aprons)

Cost Guide Code	Pavement Categorisation Number (PCN)	ERC £ per m2
70501A	10	£69

4.6 Description notes

The costs include for excavations and disposal of surplus materials arising from the excavations being disposed on site. Pavement construction comprises imported limestone fill, lean mix concrete sub-base and slip form paved pavement quality concrete and associated drainage and Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) ducting.

4.7 Airstrips, Farm strips, Gliding sites and Microlight sites — other buildings

4.7.1 Hangars

These are normally agricultural type buildings, unheated and unlined providing wind and watertight protection for aircraft vary in age, height and quality.

For eaves height of less than 3.0 m £250 /m² (minimum rate — build cost), 4.0 m £300 /m² or 5.0 m £350 /m², enter in NBS as Cost Guide Code 605MO2 (£432 psm) but overwrite with the cost as above

Notes:

These costs include the cost of a concrete floor. If there is no concrete floor but some other compacted surface, say hardcore, then the above figure should be discounted by £30/square meter (sq m) and a figure of £10/sq m added back for that form of surface. For example, 4m eaves at £300/sq m would become £270/sq m plus £10/sq m = £280 / sq m.

4.7.2 Clubhouses and Offices

Vary in construction and quality may be modern brick and tile, old wartime buildings or modular. Typical costs:

• good quality £963m² — Cost Guide code 42P22AK
• medium quality £694m² — Cost Guide code 42P40K
• basic quality £456m² — Cost Guide code 42P40V

4.7.3 Additions for service installations

For 2026 no additions are to be made for service installations, this is a departure from previous practice notes

4.8 Stage 2 allowances

For most age and obsolescence allowances the generic age and obsolescence scales should be referred to — see the generic contractor’s basis practice note on this topic.

Any hardstanding areas (runways, taxiways and aprons) at Airstrips, Farm strips, Gliding sites and Microlight sites should apply the appropriate civils allowance.

4.9 Stage 3 — Land Value at Airstrips, Farm strips, Gliding sites and Microlight sites

The whole site is to be valued at the agricultural value for the region — max site size is 30 hectares

Land area and value to be entered in the NBS Undeveloped land box

Region	Land Value per hectare
South East	£25,000
East Midlands	£21,000
East	£23,000
North East	£17,000
North West	£23,000
South West	£25,000
West Midlands	£23,500
Yorkshire & Humber	£23,500
South Wales	£21,000
Mid and North Wales	£21,000

Note land value guidance is provided by District Valuer Services (DVS), see the R2026 Land Value Practice Note.

4.10 Stage 4 — De-capitalisation Rate

The effective capital value (ECV) of the hereditament shall be de-capitalised to an annual equivalent by taking the prescribed (higher) rate.

4.11 Stage 5 — End Adjustments

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 and most sites will not warrant further allowances at this stage

1. Airspace Restrictions — airspace restrictions are defined as statutory air space restrictions imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), restrictions arising from the Air Navigation Orders, restrictions arising from neighbours, and air safety requirements. At their most severe these restrictions will limit the times and duration of airfield operations, including limitations on the circuits that can be flown. A medium restriction would be where local air traffic routes limit operations in the immediate vicinity of the site (for example, within 5 nautical miles), or where it is necessary to have a local operational agreement with a local airport/airfield operator. At the lower end of the scale would be airspace restricting area navigational access to a site or physical restrictions caused by objects such as wind turbines.

2. Access Restrictions — airfields are often remote to public access roads and/or have restrictions imposed by third parties. Flying Clubs rely on adequate public access, so such restrictions can limit/restrict club viability. The severity of such restrictions is site specific and should not require any specialist knowledge to evaluate. At the severe level access might be over unmade roads owned by third parties with restrictions on access. Sites remote from public highways might be at a medium level.

3. Non-Exclusive Site Use — many if not most airfield sites have a shared use, most commonly a dual agricultural use. For example clubs may share their sites with grazing animals requiring the herding of animals prior to and post flying, with the attendant problems of animal faeces. This restricts hours of operation and increases costs. At its most severe the site is in effect in agricultural use with flying being a secondary use. Here the hours of operation in each type of use may be the best indication of the severity of this restriction. The restrictions in this category are caused by consecutive use as distinguished from (d) below where the issue is concurrent use.

4. Multiple Site Use — flying Clubs rarely have sole use of an airfield and its environs and have to operate in parallel with other commercial/sports organisations. Adjacent land may have agricultural or commercial use that restricts flying operations. Similarly many clubs have adjacent commercial operations and traffic which restrict operations. At its most severe a club might have to permanently limit the area useable for flying operations, or cease operations in certain wind directions. Again the degree and period of restriction should be used to categorise the severity of the restriction.

5. Public Rights of Way — many flying clubs are in National Parks, AONBs, or similar attractive areas desirable to tourists, ramblers etc. The statutory rights to roam and/or public footpaths adjacent to, or across an airfield cause significant operational restrictions. These may require the operation of safety procedures restricting frequency of flights and may vary according to wind direction. Such restrictions should be able to be measured subjectively in relation to the duration of restrictions, or the effect on flight frequency.

6. Planning Restrictions — many sites have planning restrictions that limit air navigational use. These restrictions may cover timing, frequency and/or the type of air navigational operations that are allowed.

7. Statutory Restrictions — many flying clubs occupy sites formally owned or partially owned by a statutory authority (usually the MOD). In most cases the authority limits the use of land that is in, or was in its ownership.

4.12 Summary

The effect of restrictions such as those above may have a parallel or cumulative effect on the operations of a club. While it is recognised that end allowances are by their nature subjective, there needs to be some form of objective framework that provides a consistency of approach and valuation. Typically we would suggest that a club that has multiple limitations of a medium to severe level be allocated the highest end allowances

The total End allowance would not be expected to exceed 25%

4.13 Category B1 to D Minor Airports, airstrips, heliports and helipads

In cases of difficulty with identification, assistance can be sought from the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecoms team.

Category C1 Airstrips — SCAT Code 006G — Airstrips, Farm strips, Microlight sites, Gliding sites.

Category D — Private Airstrips — SCAT Code 006G — Airstrips, Farm strips.

Practice note 3: 2026 — heliports and helipads

1. Market appraisal

1.1 Heliports and helipads definition

1.11 A heliport is a stand-alone facility, similar to a small airport, designed to allow helicopters to take off and land. It may have fuelling facilities, a passenger terminal, office and hangar accommodation.

1.12 A helipad is a small landing place for helicopters, denoted by a large ‘H’. These can be found at hotels and hospitals and helidecks on the roof of some city office blocks.

1.13 The size and specification of the helipad will depend on the type of aircraft being used, but in general it should be no less than 15m by 15m and surrounded by a specified safety zone. Ground helipads should be constructed of concrete of at least 150mm thickness.

1.14 The helicopter travel sector is a developing industry, including business usage, sports and recreational activities, and as a means of personal transport. Over the last 25 years there has been increased use of helicopters to access off-shore oil installations and wind farms and use by the police and air ambulance.

2. Changes from the last practice note

2.1 There are no major changes from the 2023 approach for heliports and helipads using a contractor’s basis of valuation.

3. Ratepayer discussions

3.1 No discussions have been held with the heliport operators.

4. Valuation scheme

4.1 Due to the absence of clean rental evidence, the contractor’s basis is used for heliports. The rating manual entry for the valuation methodology should be consulted for guidance on the general approach.

4.2 Location factors and contract size adjustments are applicable to the stage 1 costs itemised in the tables below which cover the valuation of heliports and other similar hereditaments.

4.3 The costs shown in this section are for ease of reference. In all cases where a cost guide code is shown that must be input into the non-bulk server (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 differing costs to those shown in a current version of this practice note, please refer to the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecom team.

Stage 1 Estimated Replacement Cost

(i) Building Costs

Costs can be found within The Cost Guide and input into the NBS template.

Pavement costs are shown in Table A below.

Pavement stage 2 allowances are shown in Table B below.

(ii) External Works

If not individually costed, then a percentage addition is to be added.

(iii) Location Factors

Where appropriate costs should be adjusted for location by reference to the Location Factors set down in the 2026 Rating Cost Guide and shown below.

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

North East region

Area	Location factor
Durham County	0.89
Northumberland	0.93
Tees Valley	0.92
Tyne and Wear	0.89

North West region

Area	Location factor
Cheshire	1.01
Greater Manchester	1.01
Lancashire	1.01
Merseyside	1.01
Cumbria	1.02

Yorkshire and Humberside region

Area	Location factor
East Riding and North Lincolnshire	0.90
North Yorkshire	0.96
South Yorkshire	0.92
West Yorkshire	0.90

South West region

Area	Location factor
Cornwall	1.03
Devon	1.00
Dorset	1.03
Gloucestershire	1.02
North Somerset	1.01
Somerset	0.99
Wiltshire	1.01

East midlands region

Area	Location factor
Derbyshire	1.03
Leicestershire and Rutland	1.02
Lincolnshire	1.02
Northamptonshire	1.07
Nottinghamshire	1.01

West midlands region

Area	Location factor
Herefordshire	0.94
Shropshire	0.97
Staffordshire	0.95
Warwickshire	1.00
West Midlands	0.97
Worcestershire	1.00

East of England region

Area	Location factor
Bedfordshire	1.03
Cambridgeshire	0.99
Essex	1.02
Hertfordshire	1.06
Norfolk	0.95
Suffolk	0.96

South East region (excluding London)

Area	Location factor
Berkshire	1.09
Buckinghamshire	1.08
East Sussex	1.10
Hampshire	1.06
Isle of Wight	1.06
Kent	1.10
Oxfordshire	1.05
Surrey	1.15
West Sussex	1.09

North Wales

Area	Location factor
Flintshire	0.88
Conwy	0.93
Denbighshire	0.89
Gwynedd	0.96
Isle of Anglesey	0.94
Wrexham	0.91

Mid Wales

Area	Location factor
Carmarthenshire	0.97
Ceredigion	0.98
Powys	0.96
Pembrokeshire	0.91

South Wales

Area	Location factor
Blaenau Gwent	0.95
Bridgend	0.92
Caerphilly	0.93
Cardiff	0.93
Monmouthshire	0.98
Neath Port Talbot	0.88
Newport	0.95
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff	0.92
Swansea	0.93
Torfaen	0.90
Vale of Glamorgan	0.96

Central London North

Area	Location factor
Camden	1.30
City of London	1.22
Hammersmith and Fulham	1.30
Islington	1.27
Kensington and Chelsea	1.32
Westminster	1.29

Central London South

Area	Location factor
Lambeth	1.26
Southwark	1.27
Wandsworth	1.28

Greater London North East

Area	Location factor
Hackney	1.23
Haringey	1.31
Newham	1.17
Tower Hamlets	1.24
Barking and Dagenham	1.16
Enfield	1.17
Havering	1.08
Redbridge	1.14
Waltham Forest	1.16

Greater London North West

Area	Location factor
Barnet	1.22
Brent	1.20
Ealing	1.26
Harrow	1.17
Hillingdon	1.15
Hounslow	1.14

Greater London South East

Area	Location factor
Bexley	1.23
Bromley	1.19
Croydon	1.22
Greenwich	1.23
Lewisham	1.19

Greater London South West

Area	Location factor
Kingston Upon Thames	1.24
Merton	1.23
Richmond Upon Thames	1.20
Sutton	1.18

(iv) Contract Size Adjustment

An adjustment for contract size is to be made to the building cost in accordance with the 2026 Valuation Office Cost Guide shown below.

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

(v) Professional Fees and Charges

Fees should be added at 9%.

Table A — Heliport pavement costs

Cost Guide Code	PCN Code	ERC £ per m2
70501A	10	£69
70501B	11	£72
70501C	12	£75
70501D	13	£78
70501E	14	£81
70501F	15	£84
70501G	16	£87
70501H	17	£90
70501J	18	£92
70501K	19	£95
70501L	20	£96
70501M	21	£99
70501N	22	£101
70501P	23	£104
70501Q	24	£105
70501R	25	£107
70501S	26	£108
70501T	27	£111
70501U	28	£113
70501V	29	£114
70501W	30	£116
70501X	31	£117
70501Y	32	£119
70501Z	33	£120
70502A	34	£120
70502B	35	£122
70502C	36	£123
70502D	37	£125
70502E	38	£126
70502F	39	£128
70502G	40	£129
70502H	41	£131
70502J	42	£132
70502K	43	£132
70502L	44	£134
70502M	45	£135
70502N	46	£137
70502P	47	£138
70502Q	48	£138
70502R	49	£140
70502S	50	£141
70502T	51	£143
70502U	52	£143
70502V	53	£144
70502W	54	£146
70502X	55	£146
70502Y	56	£147
70502Z	57	£149
70503A	58	£150
70503C	60	£152
70503D	61	£153
70503E	62	£155
70503F	63	£155
70503G	64	£156
70503H	65	£158
70503J	66	£158
70503K	67	£159
70503L	68	£161
70503M	69	£161
70503N	70	£162
70503P	71	£164
70503Q	72	£164
70503R	73	£165
70503S	74	£167
70503T	75	£167
70503U	76	£168
70503V	77	£170
70503W	78	£171
70503X	79	£173
70503Y	80	£174
70503Z	81	£174
70504A	82	£176
70504B	83	£176
70504C	84	£177
70504D	85	£179
70504E	86	£179
70504F	87	£180
70504G	88	£182
70504H	89	£183
70504J	90	£185
70504K	91	£185
70504L	92	£185
70504M	93	£186
70504N	93+	£189

Description notes 

The costs include for excavations and disposal of surplus materials arising from the excavations being disposed on site. Pavement construction comprises imported limestone fill, lean mix concrete sub-base and slip form paved pavement quality concrete and associated drainage and Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) ducting.

Table B — Heliport Pavement stage 2 allowances

For most age and obsolescence allowances the generic age and obsolescence scales should be referred to — see the generic contractor’s basis practice note on this topic. For heliports the following pavement allowances are appropriate. 

Heliport concrete pavement allowances — helipads, runways, taxiways and aprons

Year	% Age-related allowance
2026	0.00
2025	0.00
2024	0.00
2023	0.00
2022	0.00
2021	0.00
2020	0.00
2019	0.00
2018	0.00
2017	0.00
2016	0.00
2015	0.50
2014	1.00
2013	1.50
2012	2.00
2011	2.50
2010	3.00
2009	3.50
2008	4.00
2007	4.50
2006	5.00
2005	5.50
2004	6.00
2003	6.50
2002	7.00
1992	12.00
1991	12.50
1990	13.00
1989	13.50
1988	14.00
1987	14.50
1986	15.00
1985	15.00
1984	15.00
1983	15.00
1982	15.00
1981	15.00
1980	15.00
1979	15.00
1978	15.00
1977	15.00
1976	15.00
1975	15.00
1974	15.00
1973	15.00
1972	15.00
1971	15.00
1970	15.00
1969	15.00
1968 and before	15% Max allowance

Stage 3 — Land Value at Heliports

Heliports are sometimes situated on existing airport sites or may be stand alone.

A. Developed land value calculated as follows:

The whole site including land under buildings, runways, taxiways, aprons, car parks and roads should be taken as general industrial levels of value prevailing in the locality.

B. Undeveloped land

Agricultural value applicable to the locality

Note land value guidance is provided by District Valuer Services (DVS), reference should be made to the R2026 Land Value Practice Note

Stage 4 — De-capitalisation Rate

The effective capital value (ECV) of the hereditament shall be de-capitalised to an annual equivalent by taking the prescribed (higher) rate.

Stage 5 — End Adjustments

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 and most sites will not warrant further allowances at this stage.

Category C2 Heliports and Helipads — SCAT Code 126U

In cases of difficulty with identification, assistance can be sought from the NVU Utilities, Transport and Telecoms team.

Practice note 4: 2026 — Major international and regional airports

1. Market appraisal

1.1 Major international and regional airports

1.2 The busiest aviation sectors internationally are the USA, China and India. The UK is the busiest aviation sector within Europe. The Civil Aviation Authority shapes the aviation sector in the UK. Post-Brexit, the CAA has taken over the European Aviation Safety Agency’s regulation responsibilities, making sure UK airports maintain high global standards.

1.3 Aviation at major international and regional airports is diverse. Each airport may comprise one or more of the following aviation sectors: scheduled flights including business, low-cost airline operations, charter flights including holiday flights, freight operations, fixed base operations, business jets and private travel, general aviation, flight training operations and aircraft maintenance and storage.

1.4 The 12 months leading up to antecedent valuation date (AVD), 1 April 2024, were dominated by strong recovery in trading following the COVID19 pandemic. This market appraisal reflects the whole period since April 2015.

1.5 2015 to 2019

1.5.1 Prior to the COVID19 pandemic, the major international and regional airports sector generally experienced favourable market conditions. Official Statistics indicate that the number of terminal passengers continued to increase by approximately 21% between 2015 and 2019, aided by exchange rate movements. These made the UK a cheaper destination for travellers from Europe, China and the USA in particular. 

1.5.2 Throughout this period there was an increase in supply in anticipation of greater demand for passenger movements. Examples included new passenger terminals and plans for additional runway capacity.

1.6 Impact of the COVID19 pandemic 2020 to 2021

1.6.1 The COVID19 pandemic had a very substantial impact on major international and regional airports in the period 2020 to 2021. Restrictions on travel were prevalent both within UK and internationally during this period. In February 2021 the UK Government published its Roadmap out of lockdown for England which set out four steps to relax restrictions. Statistics on in-month passenger movement data shows passenger movements were generally less than 10% of the pre-Covid norm as at the AVD (01 April 2021) for the 2023 rating list.

1.6.2 Government support helped keep airports afloat during the pandemic. Airports faced lower regulation at the height of the pandemic, including airlines seeing their flight requirement rules reduced and a one-off amnesty on airport slot rules enabling greater flexibility.

1.7 Major International and Regional Airport Performance since 2021

1.7.1 Passenger movements increased substantially during 2022 although did not reach pre-pandemic levels that year.

1.7.2 Further growth in passenger numbers continued during 2023, with some airports reporting passenger numbers approaching or achieving pre-pandemic levels. Revenue growth has generally been very strong since 2021, with 2023 evidencing new revenue records in some instances.

1.7.3 Since 2021 there has been increased polarisation in the relative performance between passenger civil airports. Whereas many passenger civil airports have thrived, some smaller passenger civil airports have struggled to recover trade post-pandemic and have lost services to neighbouring passenger civil airports which have consolidated their competitive position. 

1.8 Future prospects at AVD

1.8.1 The majority of civil airports report an optimistic outlook anticipating continued further growth in passenger numbers and revenue.

1.8.2 Plans have been submitted and, in some instances, approved for expansion. Capital investment is underway at some civil airports as facilities are improved, modernised, and expanded.

1.8.3 The outlook at AVD for most civil airports is positive, however a small number of civil airports that have struggled to recover post-pandemic.

2. Changes from the last practice note

2.1 There are no changes from the 2023 rating list approach for major international and regional airports, using the R&E basis of valuation.

2.2 The RICS joint rating forum guidance note (The R&E Method of Valuation for non-domestic Rating) says on criteria for application:

• Where the nature of the occupation of the property is primarily concerned with achieving anticipated profit, and the tenant’s rental bid is, therefore, likely to be based upon a consideration of R&E, then in the absence of reliable rental evidence, the R&E method may be the most appropriate method of valuation to adopt.

• It is considered particularly appropriate to use the R&E method where receipts are derived from some monopoly attaching to the property. Monopoly value may be derived from law, for example, by way of licence, or from geographical location or sometimes from a combination of both.

• It should be noted that the foregoing considerations do not preclude the use of either the rental/comparative method or the contractor’s basis in appropriate cases.

3. Ratepayer discussions

3.1 For the 2026 revaluation discussions have been held with the major airport user group. In addition, civil airport ratepayers have been invited to collaborate with Valuation Office during the R2026 prior discussions programme.

4. Valuation scheme

4.1 Major international and regional airports

4.2 The valuation of major international and regional airports is by R&E method. All valuations in this class are the responsibility of the Utilities, Transport and Telecoms (UTT) team (VP5) within the NVU. General guidance regarding the R&E method is found in Rating Manual section 4 part 2: Valuation Office — Part 2: The R&E method.