Legislation
The Council is responsible for the functions of naming/re-naming streets and numbering/naming buildings throughout the borough.
This includes:
- consulting the Royal Mail and emergency services on any proposals to name a new street or to re-name an existing street
- informing all owner/occupiers of the property of naming and numbering orders and to enforce the legislation as required
- consulting local ward councillors on all street naming and numbering applications that include a new road, property or block name
The legislation makes it an offence for anyone to set up an address without the sanction of the Council or to use an address other than that which has been assigned. Therefore, anyone constructing a road that requires a name or property that requires a postal number should contact the Council. The Councils decisions for these applications is final.
Apply for street name and/or postal code
In addition, the Council also records addresses on the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) a national address database.
Failure to obtain an approved address will result in statutory undertakers (for example HM Land Registry), utility companies (gas, water, electric, telephone) and other agencies refusing to recognise the address.
Charges
| Proposal | Fee for Local Authority choice of name | Fee for Applicants choice of name | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naming or re-naming road | £530 | £700 | Per road within development |
| Naming or re-naming house or block of flats | £295 | £410 | Per name required. Fee reduced by £70 if already numbered |
| Naming or re-naming commercial premises | £295 | £410 | Per name required. Fee reduced by £70 if already numbered |
| Naming or re-naming commercial estate | £530 | £700 |
| Postal numbering or re-numbering | Fee | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | £170 | 2 units - £170 + £85 = £255 |
| Per additional unit | £85 | 51 units - £170 + (£85 x 50) = £4,420 |
| Supply of historic documents and information | £105 |
A fee will be required for the authority to consider any new street name or postal number. Applicants will, therefore, be required to make a formal submission together with the appropriate fee.
Additional information
New roads
Developers will be asked to submit names for consideration. Names duplicating or sounding similar to existing road names will not be considered acceptable. Any names submitted will be circulated to the Royal Mail and emergency services for comment. The developer will be notified in writing of the name assigned to the road.
Postal numbering
Postal numbers will be assigned to a new property in accordance with established procedures. In-fill developments will be assigned numbers in sequence with adjacent property. Property along new roads will be numbered odds on one side and evens on the other, except for a cul-de-sac, which will be numbered, consecutively in a clockwise direction. The number 13 will be assigned where appropriate.
The conversion or subdivision of any premises, which creates additional units, will require the assignment of new postal numbers and falls within the scope of the postal numbering legislation.
Naming buildings
Developers will be asked to submit names for multi-occupation buildings (such as blocks of flats) where it is not possible to number the individual units into the street. Any names submitted will be circulated to the Royal Mail and emergency services for comment.
Re-addressing property
Requests to re-address property will be considered, having regard to any operational difficulties that may be experienced by the Royal Mail and emergency services. The street naming and numbering legislation will not be used to enable a more prestigious address to be established.
Display of postal number
Regulations adopted by the Council require that any postal number displayed shall be in numerals of Arabic character, example 123. The number shall be displayed to enable the Royal Mail, emergency services and occasional callers to readily identify the premises.
Timescales
Applications which only involve the numbering of new dwellings will take four weeks from the date of submission.
Applications which involve the naming and numbering of flats or if the development includes new roads will take up to eight weeks from the date of submission.
Please be advised that if your development is subject to pre-commencement planning conditions or is subject to a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payment then the outcome of the new address could be delayed until these other matters have been resolved.