The valuation of contaminated land – Methods adopted in the UK and NZ

Increasing litigation involving land contamination and an escalation in the number of incidents where property owners have suffered financial losses from these cases has resulted in negative impacts on property values and greater risks associated with investments in contaminated property. To date, there has been little systematic research on the valuation methodology that accounts for these risks. To help address this, two similar surveys were undertaken within New Zealand (NZ) and the United Kingdom (UK), the results of which are summarised here. The survey instruments were designed to determine what the respondents are currently doing when providing advice or producing valuations to account for the financial risks associated with investing in contaminated properties. It is hoped that the survey results will aid the process of developing “best practice” methodologies for use by valuers.