Street Naming and Numbering Guidance
Contents
1. Introduction To This Guidance
2. Responsibility For Property Addressing
3. Naming Streets And Numbering Properties
4. Criteria For Naming Streets
5. Property Numbering Guidance
6. Adding A Name To A Numbered Building
8. Naming Streets Or Buildings After Notable People
9. Property Re-numbering Or Street Re-naming
10. Objects Without A Postal Address (OWPAs)
1. Introduction To This Guidance
South Derbyshire District Council (the Council) holds the statutory responsibility for naming streets and numbering properties within the district. This duty is exercised under Sections 17–19 of the Public Health Act 1925 and is further supported by Schedule 14, Paragraph 25(7) of the Local Government Act 1972.
The Council has the authority to approve or reject address proposals submitted by developers or members of the public and may also implement its own addressing schemes. This authority applies equally to both residential and commercial properties.
Where street names or property numbers have been assigned without consultation with the Council, the Council retains the right to issue renaming or renumbering notices under the provisions of the Public Health Act 1925.
In addition to meeting legislative requirements, this guidance aligns with the standards set by GeoPlace, the custodians of the National Address Gazetteer and the National Street Gazetteer, as outlined in their publication Data Entry Conventions and Best Practice for Addresses. It also incorporates recommendations from GeoPlace’s Street Naming and Numbering Working Group. Compliance with these standards is mandated under the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement.
All property developments and address changes within South Derbyshire must adhere to the principles and procedures outlined in this guidance. Maintaining a consistent and high-quality approach to street naming and property numbering is vital to:
- Enable emergency services to locate properties quickly, safeguarding life and safety.
- Ensure consistency of address data across local government systems and among address users, supporting efficient service delivery.
- Support the accurate and timely delivery of goods and services.
- Assist visitors in locating properties with ease.
Anyone wishing to request an address change or establish a new address must apply to South Derbyshire District Council in accordance with the process detailed in this guidance document.
2. Responsibility For Property Addressing
All elements of an address, excluding the post town and postcode, are determined by the Council. The Council retains intellectual property rights over the numbering and naming of properties, as well as the official naming of streets.
Postcode allocation falls under the jurisdiction of Royal Mail and must be confirmed by them. The Council will coordinate this process on behalf of the applicant and will notify both the applicant and relevant stakeholders once the postcode has been assigned. Any ongoing management of postcode data, including future amendments to individual postcodes or postcode sectors, remains exclusively the responsibility of Royal Mail.
The Council accepts no responsibility or liability for the omission of postcode or post town information, nor for any disruption to services resulting from such omissions.
3. Naming Streets And Numbering Properties
The requirement for a new street name or the renumbering of properties may arise for a variety of reasons, including:
- New developments, such as the construction of new buildings or the demolition and rebuilding of an existing property.
- Property splits, for example, the conversion of a single building into multiple flats or commercial units.
- Property mergers, such as combining two or more units into a single premises.
- Relocation of the main entrance to a different street, which may affect the property's address.
- Changes to building names, particularly where the property does not have a designated number.
4. Criteria For Naming Streets
The Street Naming and Numbering team applies the following conventions when assessing the suitability of proposed street names.
All name suggestions submitted to the Council must adhere to these guidelines, which align with best practices established by GeoPlace, the custodians of the National Address Gazetteer and the National Street Gazetteer.
While the Council encourages names that reflect local or historical significance, the absence of such relevance is not in itself grounds for objection.
- Uniqueness: New street names must not duplicate existing names within the same postal town. Variations in suffix (e.g., "Street", "Road", "Avenue") are not sufficient to distinguish names.
- Descriptive Suffix: The suffix must accurately describe the nature of the road (e.g., ‘Close’ for a cul-de-sac).
- Phonetic Distinction: Names that sound similar (e.g., Willows Avenue and Winnows Avenue) are not permitted.
- Appropriateness: Names that could be considered obscene, racist, or contrary to the Council’s equal opportunities policies will be rejected.
- Numerical Confusion: Names must not include numbers that could be misinterpreted (e.g., "20 Seven Foot Lane" vs. "27 Foot Lane").
- Graffiti Risk: Names that could be easily altered or defaced must be avoided.
- Integration with Existing Schemes: New developments will not be assigned new street names if they can be incorporated into the existing numbering of the access road.
- Definite Articles: Names must not begin with "The".
- Punctuation: No punctuation of any kind is allowed in street names.
- Pronunciation and Spelling: Names should be easy to pronounce and spell to avoid confusion, especially in emergencies.
- Possessives and Plurals: Names must not end in “s” where it could imply possession or plurality.
- Living Persons: Streets will not be named after living individuals. (See separate section for naming after notable persons.).
- Commercial References: Names promoting a company, service, or product are not permitted. Developer trading names are considered advertising and are not acceptable. Exceptions may be made for defunct companies used in a purely historical context.
- Royal Associations: Names with royal connotations require consent from the Lord Chamberlain’s Office. It is the developer’s responsibility to obtain this consent.
- Council Discretion: The Council reserves the right to reject any name it deems inappropriate.
Street suffixes
All new street names will end with a suffix below. Street names with no suffix will not be allowed due to the potential for confusion. Existing streets with no suffix will not be renamed unless required for other reasons. Permitted suffixes are:
| Suffix | Typical Usage |
|---|---|
| Avenue | Residential or major tree-lined road |
| Bank | Road along an edge, embankment, or verge |
| Brook | Near a brook, river, or stream |
| Chase | Small street in a valley or former hunting ground |
| Circle/Circus | Circular road only |
| Close | Cul-de-sac or no-through road |
| Court | Square or rectangular street layout |
| Crescent | Short, curved street |
| Crest | Road at the top of a hill |
| Croft | Short street on former small farm |
| Dale | Street in a valley or basin |
| Drive |
Suburban residential or major road |
| End | Cul-de-sac only |
| Gardens | Garden-fronted buildings |
| Grove | Garden-fronted buildings |
| Green | Residential street with park-like setting |
| Hill | Street on a hill |
| Lane | Narrow or minor residential road or rural road |
| Mews | Must not duplicate the name of the access road |
| Park | Short residential street, often a cul-de-sac |
| Place | Small or narrow residential street or square |
| Quay | Road alongside a navigable waterway |
| Rise | Street on a hill (similar to Hill) |
| Road | Main road or thoroughfare |
| Row | Often townhouses; general residential use |
| Square | Streets forming a square, often with a central space |
| Street | Main road or thoroughfare |
| View | Street with a scenic outlook |
| Walk | Narrow pedestrian-only passage |
| Way | Wide range of use: residential street, through roads and major roadways |
| Wharf | Usually roads immediately parallel to a navigable waterway |
| Yard | Usually a collection of business properties around a central courtyard |
Directional Qualifiers
The use of directional suffixes (e.g., "North", "South", "East", "West") is only permitted where the road is continuous and crosses a major junction. It is not acceptable for roads that are split into separate, unconnected sections, as this may hinder address locatability.
Exceptions
The Council may consider alternative suffixes if the developer can provide a compelling justification, such as historical documentation, demonstrating that the proposed suffix is appropriate and descriptive of the street.
5. Property Numbering Guidance
The following conventions govern the numbering of properties within the district:
- Primary Street Allocation: All properties must be numbered according to the street that provides direct access, typically the street that the front door faces.
- Odd and Even Numbering: New streets shall be numbered with odd numbers on the left-hand side and even numbers on the right, starting from the primary entrance or, where applicable, in the direction of travel from the town centre. For streets connecting two other roads, numbering will begin at the end closest to the town centre.
- Cul-de-sac Numbering: Cul-de-sacs are generally numbered consecutively in a clockwise direction. However, if future development is anticipated, the Council may apply an alternative numbering scheme on a case-by-case basis.
- Single-Sided Streets: Streets that are not cul-de-sacs will only be numbered consecutively if there are no properties on the opposite side and no potential for future development—such as streets running alongside a riverbank.
- Sequential Allocation: All numbers must be used in sequence, excluding number 13. Gaps may be intentionally left in the numbering to accommodate possible future infill development.
- Subdivided Properties: Where multiple units share a single access point, only the terms ‘Flat’ or ‘Unit’ will be used.
- Flat and Unit Numbering: Flats and units must be numbered sequentially (e.g., Flat 1, Flat 2, Flat 3). Schemes using letters (e.g., Flat A, Flat B) or descriptors (e.g., First Floor Flat) are not permitted.
- Multi-Storey Blocks: Flats may be numbered either:
- Consecutively from the ground floor upward, following the order in which they are accessed, or
- Hotel-style, incorporating the floor level (e.g., 101, 102, 103 for first floor; 201, 202, 203 for second floor).
- The Council will determine the most appropriate scheme based on the development’s layout and scale.
- Shared Entrances: Where internal units are accessed via a shared ground floor entrance, numbering will follow the format: Flat 1, 24 Any Street; Flat 2, 24 Any Street, etc.
- No Punctuation: Punctuation marks are not permitted in numbering (e.g., Flat 1.01 or Flat 11/01).
- Suffixes for Infill Properties: If new properties are added to an existing street and no numbers are available within the current sequence, a letter suffix will be used (e.g., 15A).
- Avoiding Suffixes: New street names will not be created solely to avoid the use of suffixes.
- Numerical Display: Property numbers must be displayed as numerals (e.g., 26 Smith Street), not written out in words (e.g., Twenty-Six Smith Street).
- Business Names: A business name must not replace a property number or building name.
- Non-Residential Structures: Private garages and buildings used solely for vehicle storage or similar purposes will not be assigned numbers.
- Land Parcels: Undeveloped land (e.g., a farmer’s field) cannot be given an official address. Only built structures on the land may be assigned a conventional address for mail and service delivery.
6. Adding A Name To A Numbered Building
A property that has been assigned a number must always use and display that number. If a property also has a name, the official number must remain part of the address and be visibly displayed on the building. The name cannot serve as a substitute for the street number. Requests to remove a number from an official address will be refused.
Naming Criteria for Numbered Properties
When applying to add a name to a numbered property, the following criteria must be observed:
- No Duplication: The proposed name must not duplicate any existing building name within that locality. This includes variations in suffix (e.g., "House", "Court", "Building"), which are not sufficient to distinguish names. Duplication can lead to misdirection of emergency services and errors in mail or service delivery.
- Avoid Phonetic Similarity: Names that sound alike (e.g., Willows House and Winnows House) are not permitted.
- Appropriateness: Names that may be considered obscene, racist, or in violation of the Council’s equal opportunities policies will be rejected.
- Graffiti Risk: Names that are easily altered or shortened in a way that could be offensive or misleading must be avoided.
- No Living Persons: To prevent offence or exclusion, buildings will not be named after living individuals. (See separate section for naming after notable people.)
- Suffix Restrictions: Names must not end in “s” where it could imply possession or plurality.
- No Definite Articles: Names must not begin with “The”.
- No Punctuation: Building names must be free of punctuation.
- Clarity and Simplicity: Names should be easy to pronounce and spell to avoid confusion, especially in emergency situations or when used by service providers.
- No Commercial Promotion: Names that promote a company, service, or product are not allowed. Developer trading names are considered advertising and are not acceptable. Exceptions may be made for defunct companies used solely in a historical context.
- No Street Name Replication: Property names must not replicate existing street names.
- Council Discretion: The Council reserves the right to reject any name it deems inappropriate.
- No Numbers in Names: Property names must not include numbers, either in numerical or written form.
Building name suffixes
All new building names must include a suffix to prevent confusion. Names without a suffix will not be accepted. Existing buildings without suffixes will not be renamed unless necessary for other reasons.
| Suffix | Description |
|---|---|
| Building | Any large distinctive building |
| Centre | Business Centre |
| Court | Any low-rise development |
| Heights | Tall building at least twice as tall as it is wide/long |
| House | Any residential or commercial building |
| Mansions | Large building occupying an entire block, which has no units with street doors |
| Point | Tall building at least twice as tall as it is wide/long |
| Studios | Mixed business/residential only |
| Tower | Tall building |
If a building has historically had a suffix which is not on this list, it may be allowed even if it has dropped out of use in recent years. Developers will need to provide evidence of the historical suffix, for instance an old map showing the original building name.
7. Business Properties
The addressing of business or industrial units will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The following principles also apply:
- Naming vs. Numbering: Commercial properties, such as those located on industrial estates or retail parks, should be named rather than numbered if they are not part of an existing numbering scheme. This approach allows for flexible subdivision or merging of business units without requiring significant changes to the official address. Business names can then be added or removed as needed, while the core property address remains unchanged.
Example: Single Occupancy
A building occupied by a single business would be addressed as:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Business Name | ACME Holdings |
| Property name/number | Rose House/11 |
| Street | Civic Way |
| Postal Town | Swadlincote |
| Postcode | DE11 0AH |
If the same building is later divided into two business units, the address would be formatted as:
| Element | Example Unit 1 | Example Unit 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name | ACME Holdings | Global Enterprises |
| Unit | Unit 1 | Unit 2 |
| Property name/number | Rose House/11 | Rose House/11 |
| Street | Civic Way | Civic Way |
| Postal Town | Swadlincote | Swadlincote |
| Postcode | DE11 0AH | DE11 0AH |
8. Naming Streets Or Buildings After Notable People
To maintain the significance and exclusivity of commemorative naming, this honour must be applied sparingly. As such, only one commemorative name per development will be permitted.
The following principles must be adhered to:
- Living Persons: The full name of a living individual must never be used for a street or building name.
- Fallen Public Servants: The full name of a person who gave their life in service to the people of South Derbyshire may be commemorated one year after their death. The location should be appropriate and dependent on a suitable development. The developer must obtain consent from the next of kin or a designated trustee.
- Outstanding Contributors: The full name of a person who made a significant contribution to the District or achieved enduring international recognition while working in South Derbyshire may be commemorated five years after their death. Consent must be obtained from the next of kin or trustee. If this is impractical due to the passage of time, the proposed naming must be publicised to allow descendants the opportunity to comment.
- Distinguished Natives: The full name of a person born or raised in the District who later gained international recognition may also be commemorated five years after death, subject to the same consent and publicity requirements as above.
- Other Notable Figures: Eminent or worthy individuals may be honoured using their surname (or occasionally their forename), provided the above criteria are met.
- Optional Citation: A brief citation may be included on the street or building sign at the developer’s expense.
9. Property Re-numbering Or Street Re-naming
Renaming or renumbering a group of existing properties, or renaming streets, can result in costs and disruption for individual occupiers. Wherever possible, such changes should be avoided. These actions are typically only considered when:
- A new development is introduced that may cause confusion or hinder emergency service response.
- Existing addresses present difficulties in accurately locating properties.
Developer Responsibilities
If the Council determines that a new development necessitates changes to existing street names or numbering, the developer will be required to:
- Consult with affected residents and make every reasonable effort to reach a satisfactory outcome.
- Provide compensation, where appropriate, to cover costs and inconvenience.
- Submit evidence of consultation before the Council proceeds with any changes.
Legal Process and Costs
Should the Council decide to proceed with renaming or renumbering, it will initiate the necessary legal procedures. The developer will be responsible for covering all associated costs.
Address Inconsistencies
If a street name does not match the entry in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG), the Council will contact affected owners or occupiers to gather feedback before requesting amendments from Royal Mail.
Resident-Initiated Renaming
If it is deemed beneficial for all owners or occupiers to officially amend a street name, an application may be submitted to the Council. This must include consent from all affected owners/occupiers
Public Notification and Appeals
Following submission, the Council will:
- Conduct a consultation with relevant stakeholders.
- Post public notice of the proposed street name change along the affected street.
Any person aggrieved by the proposed order may appeal to the Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of the notice being posted.
10. Objects Without A Postal Address (OWPAs)
Properties without a postal delivery point, or businesses subject to non-domestic rates or Council Tax, will be addressed in accordance with the conventions outlined in this guidance. It should be noted that Royal Mail will not allocate a postcode or include such properties in their Postal Address File (PAF) unless the owner provides a designated mail delivery point. Examples of properties in this category include stores, agricultural buildings, workshops, utility sites, and holiday cottages.
11. Demolished Properties
If a demolished property is located on a site scheduled for redevelopment, the new address will incorporate the reinstatement of the premise numbers previously assigned to that street.
12. Application Process
Requests can be submitted using the forms available at Street Naming and Numbering | South Derbyshire District Council website. Completed forms should be returned either by email to addresses@southderbyshire.gov.uk or by post to:
Street Naming and Numbering Team
South Derbyshire District Council
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
DE11 0AH
Required Documentation
All applications must include:
- A scaled location and site plan showing the boundary of each property and marking the main entrances. The plan should illustrate the new development in relation to existing streets or access points.
- A detailed development plan clearly marked with plot numbers.
For developments with multiple occupancy, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or apartment blocks, an internal layout plan must be provided. This plan should clearly show each floor level, the main entrance to the building, and the location of all separate addressable units within the development.
Applications for street naming or numbering should be submitted by the developer, property owner, or an authorised agent acting on their behalf. Developers and owners are encouraged to suggest names for new streets, which will be reviewed by the Street Naming and Numbering Team in accordance with the criteria outlined in this guidance.
Once the application is received, the Council will calculate the applicable fee and provide instructions for payment.
The process for reaching a final decision on street naming, renaming, or renumbering is as follows:
- Submission: Suggestions for a new name, rename, or renumbering are submitted to South Derbyshire District Council’s Street Naming and Numbering Team.
- Evaluation: Each suggestion is assessed against the Council’s established criteria until a suitable option or shortlist is agreed.
- Consultation: The proposed name(s) are shared with relevant ward members, the parish council, and Royal Mail for consultation.
- Response Period: The consultation is conducted virtually, with all parties given 21 working days to provide comments or alternative suggestions.
- Review of Alternatives: Any alternative suggestions received are also evaluated against the Council’s naming and numbering criteria.
- Final Allocation: Once a decision is reached, the new address is formally allocated and all relevant bodies are notified.
If a dispute arises, the matter will be resolved by the officer with delegated authority, in accordance with the Council’s constitution.
13. Street Nameplates
Street nameplates must not be erected until the street name has been formally confirmed in writing by the Council.
Any individual who displays an unofficial street name or number on their property may be subject to a fine under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1982.
For guidance on approved signage, please refer to the Street Nameplate Specification document available on our website: SDDC Street Name Plate Specification March 2020 (pdf, 969kb)