General Rate Act 1967

8(1)In determining the rateable value of any office premises such as are mentioned in section 32(2)(b) of this Act, any part of the premises which is not used as an office or for office purposes, or for purposes ancillary to the use of the premises as an office or for office purposes, shall be disregarded.

(2)The Minister may by regulations make such provision as he considers appropriate for securing, in the case of—

(a)premises liable to be rated both by virtue of the said section 32(2)(b) and by virtue of some other enactment; and

(b)premises of which a part is liable to be rated by virtue of the said section 32(2)(b) and another part is liable to be rated by virtue of some other enactment,

that the premises are included in the valuation list as a single hereditament with a single rateable value; and the regulations may make different provision for different circumstances and may contain such supplemental, consequential and incidental provisions, including provisions modifying any enactment, as the Minister considers expedient for the purposes of the regulations.

(3)Any question as to whether, for the purposes of the said section 32(2)(b), any premises are situated on operational land of the body in question shall be determined by the Minister of Transport.

(4)The valuation officer shall from time to time make such proposals as appear to him to be requisite for altering valuation lists so as to give effect to the said section 32(2)(b) and sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph, and may, if he thinks fit, before making such a proposal in respect of any premises—

(a)raise a question as to whether the premises are situated on operational land of the body in question ; and

(b)make an application to the Minister of Transport for the determination of that question ;

and if he makes such an application he shall, before the expiration of the period of seven days beginning with the date of the application, serve notice of it on the occupier of the premises and the rating authority for the area in which the premises are situated ; and where it is determined in consequence of the application that the premises to which the application relates are not situated on operational land of the body in question—

(i)the valuation officer may make a proposal in respect of the premises by reference to the same considerations as would have been applicable if the proposal had been made on the date of the application ; and

(ii)any alteration in a valuation list made in pursuance of a proposal certified by the valuation officer to have been made by him in consequence of the determination shall have effect as if any notice of the proposal served on the occupier of the premises had been so served at the same time as the notice of the application was served on him under the foregoing provision of this sub-paragraph.