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Guidance Notes

Naming of new streets

To apply for new street names please print the application form and return it to us, along with a site location plan and street layout (if applicable). Developers are encouraged to suggest street names in Welsh in accordance with the Authority’s Compliance Notice – Section 44 Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.  Any English street names which are accepted will be registered as bilingual. All proposals are subject to approval by the Council.

There is no charge for this service.

Named houses (no postal number allocated)

If your property has a name instead of a postal number and you wish to change the name, you need approval. This is to maintain the address database held by the Council (called the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG)) and to ensure that the guidance is followed as for street naming. This will also ensure that properties in the same area don't have the same name, in order to avoid confusion for the emergency services and the Royal Mail.

Houses with postal numbers and names

If your property has a postal number and you want to give it a name as well, you do not need approval. Replacing a postal number with a name causes confusion for postal deliveries and the emergency services and is not advisable.

You can display the name on your property and use it alongside the postal number in the address, but your property will always be identified by the number.

Allocation of new postal addresses and new streets

Once a new postal address or street name has been allocated, we will contact Royal Mail, who is responsible for the allocation of postcodes. Royal Mail will not allocate a postcode until they have received formal notification from ourselves of a new street name or address.

On receipt of the postcode, we will then inform the developer or occupier as appropriate. We will also inform other interested parties of the new address or street name. These include the emergency services, Council departments and other organisations.

Renaming or renumbering of streets

On rare occasions it may become necessary to rename or renumber a street. This is usually only done as a last resort when:

  • there is confusion over a street's name and/or numbering
  • a group of residents are unhappy with their street name
  • new properties are built in a street and there is a need for other properties to be renumbered to accommodate the new properties
  • the number of named-only properties in a street is deemed to be causing confusion for visitors, the delivery or emergency services

Existing residents will be contacted and their views taken into account. We will also consult the Royal Mail for their position on the issue. To change a street name we will ballot the local residents on the issue. Hopefully there will be 100% support, but we require at least a two-thirds majority to make the change.

Postcodes

The Council is not responsible for the assignation of postcodes. This is a Royal Mail function. Any queries regarding postcodes can be dealt with by the Royal Mail by calling 08456 045 060 (Postcode Enquiries), or via their website.