Road and property naming and numbering - guidelines and examples

1. Naming streets in new developments

Any new street name must not duplicate a name in existence in the local area. Varying the name by using a different terminal word (e.g. changing 'New Street' to 'New Road') is not acceptable. Please telephone us if you are unsure.

• Names should be unambiguous and easy to pronounce and spell (to enable effective emergency service response).
• Avoid having two phonetically similar names in the near vicinity, e.g. Churchill Road and Birch Hill Road.
• Road names should have clear historical or local links to the area in which the street is situated. Supporting information must be provided.
• Naming roads after members of the developer's family, or the company, is to be avoided unless they meet the required criteria listed above.
• Naming of any roads, terraces or courtyards etc after 'living persons' is not acceptable.

If the developer is unable to suggest any names, the Council will be happy to assist.

It is to be remembered that the Council's decision is final.

The property developer should not give any postal addresses, including postcode, to potential occupiers, either directly or indirectly (for example via solicitors or estate agents) before we have issued formal approval. We will not be liable for any costs or damages caused by failure to comply with this.

The following guidelines set out the Council's criteria for street naming and numbering - variations from the general rule are sometimes allowed if considered appropriate.

2. Naming streets

All new street names should end with a terminal word, such as:

• Road
• Street
• Avenue
• Drive
• Lane
• Place
• Garden
• Crescent - for a crescent shaped road only
• Close - for a cul-de-sac only
• Square - for a square only
• Terrace - for a terrace of houses
• Mews - this is currently popular and is considered acceptable in appropriate circumstances; the term 'Mews' derives from private stables and is normally used to address a building or group of buildings which have been converted from stables into residential apartments, or a small street, alley, or courtyard on which such buildings stand

All new pedestrian ways may end with:

• Walk
• Path
• Way

3. Erection of a new block of flats or conversion of a building into flats

Naming and numbering can be complex in buildings with flats; the following gives some basic guidance.

All named blocks should end with one of the following:

• Court - for flats and other residential buildings
• Mansion - other residential buildings
• House - residential blocks or office
• Point- high residential blocks only
• Tower - high residential or office blocks

When new flats are numbered internally, they should be numbered not lettered, e.g. Flat 2, 21 Smith Street not Flat A, 21 Smith Street nor 21A Smith Street, which might already be used by an adjoining infill building. In a conversion of a property into flats previously numbered e.g. 25 High Street, the properties would be called successively from Flat 1, 25 High Street. If the building was called Norfolk House, the property would become, Flat 1, Norfolk House, 25 High Street.

4. Erection of houses following demolition of existing house

Legislation permits the use of a suffix, so if a house at 25 High Street is demolished and replaced by 3 new houses, they would become 25A, 25B and 25C High Street. This ensures that the street numbering is consistent and avoids the renumbering of the whole street.

5. Adding a house name to an existing number

If you wish to call your house a name, this is quite acceptable to the Council as long as you continue to use the street number. However, there should not be any duplication of any house names in an area. The Council will not formally allocate a name as part of an address unless it meets this criterion.

6. Numbering new streets

A new street is usually numbered with even numbers on the right (approaching from the town centre) and odd numbers on the left, except for a cul-de-sac where numbering is usually consecutive.

7. Renaming or renumbering of streets and buildings

The occupiers of houses on corners occasionally apply to change their addresses from one road to the other because they have altered their main access door to the house so that the entrance is facing an adjoining street. The manipulation of numbering in order to secure a 'prestige' address or to avoid an address which is thought to have undesired associations will not be sanctioned.