Street naming and numbering policy

Where a new development requires one or more new street names, the developer is required to apply to the council to have these officially named.     

To speed up the application process, it is suggested that developers consult with local interested parties (ward / parish councillors, local historic groups etc.) prior to application, to obtain local input for the suggested street names. Where possible, suggested names should relate to the history of the area of the development, or reflect the local landscape and population.     

Developers should submit proposals for street names but must be aware that the final determination will be made by Leeds City Council.     

The following rules will apply for all new street names:     

• Street names will not duplicate existing names within the postal town in which they are located (e.g. LS (Leeds, Pudsey, Wetherby, Otley, Ilkley); WF (Wakefield, Castleford); BD (Bradford)), nor will they be sufficiently similar as to cause confusion.
  
• Preference will be given to street names that refer to the history and heritage of the local area or population.
• Proposals that relate to a living person’s name are not permitted.
  
• Proposals relating to a recently deceased (within the last 25 years) person’s name will not be permitted unless there is a proven historical connection to the development land, or the proposal is put forward for commemorative purposes. Written consent would be required from the next of kin in all cases and should be obtained prior to application (and for this information to be provided as part of the application process).
• Names that could be construed as obscene, discriminatory, or in contravention of the Council’s Equality and Diversity policy will not be acceptable.
• Names that may be difficult to spell, pronounce or contain a confusing form of a conventional spelling should be avoided and may not be accepted. Likewise, phonetically similar names within a postal town will be rejected.
• No punctuation will be allowed in an approved street name (including apostrophes) and abbreviated words such as St – Street or Rd – Road will not be permitted. St – Saint is allowed without punctuation.
• The consent of the Lord Chamberlain’s office must be obtained if a name with any reference to the Royal Family or the use of the word ‘Royal’ is proposed.
  
• Street names that could be construed as advertising will not be allowed.
  
• Street names should not commence with the word “The”.
• Proposed street names should not include a number either in numerical or written form.
  
• All proposed street names should be accompanied with an explanation for the choice of that name.
  
• All new street names should end with a suffix which reflects the nature, history and/ or location of the street (see Appendix A).

It is the legal duty of the developer to ensure that street nameplates are erected prior to completion, and that communal building names and / or numbers are correctly displayed. 

Developers can discuss the manufacture or location of street nameplates by contacting Highways and Transportation: 

Streets will only be re-named under exceptional circumstances, such as when there are potential problems for the emergency services. Any request to change a street name will require the approval of property owners addressed from that street.     

Any application to re-name a street should be submitted together with written consent from all the owners of property which are addressed from that street. A street name will not be changed without the consent of ALL affected property owners.     

All new properties will be allocated a number, unless there is no existing numbering scheme on a street, or where there is no logical number available. Numbering will be logical and sequential and will adhere to the following convention:     

• From the start of a street, odd numbers will be allocated to the left hand side, and even numbers to the right hand side.
• Where a street is a no through road, and contains 10 or less properties, the numbering maybe sequential in a clockwise direction starting from the left hand side.
• No numbers will be excluded from the logical numbering sequence.
• Infill developments on existing numbered streets will be numbered into the existing sequence by the use of suffixes (i.e. 15A, 15B etc.).
• Buildings will be numbered according to the street which provides direct access to the property, generally the street that the front door of the property faces.
• Where flats and units have individual doors to a street, they shall be given individual numbers to the street where possible.
• Where a property is sub-divided with a shared entrance, individual properties should always be numbered or lettered but should not be described or suffixed (i.e. Flat 1, 36; or Flat A, 36 are acceptable but not 36A or First Floor Flat, 36).
• The council will allocate internal Flat numbers based on a convention that starts the numbering at the main entrance or access point of each floor, and continues round in a clockwise direction. Please do not assume Flat numbers, until these have been legally issued by Street Naming and Numbering.

If a property is allocated a number, a name can be approved in addition to the number and will be known as an ‘alias name’. The number will still form the primary part of the address and should be displayed at all times. All proposed names should be suggested by the developer as part of the application process.     

If a number cannot be allocated, the property will be allocated a name. Names must adhere to the following conventions:     

• The principal property name should be unique and not duplicated within the existing postcode sector (i.e. LS2 1 or BD10 5).
• Properties should not be named with a business name; this will be added to the address separately.
  
• Proposals that relate to a living person’s name are not permitted.
• Proposals relating to a recently deceased (within the last 25 years) person’s name will not be permitted unless there is a proven historical connection to the land/property, or the proposal is put forward for commemorative purposes. Written consent would be required from the next of kin in all cases and should be obtained prior to application (and for this information to be provided as part of the application process).
• Property names that could be considered or construed as obscene, discriminatory, or in contravention of the Council’s Equality and Diversity policy will not be acceptable.
  
• No abbreviations or punctuation will be accepted. 
  
• Property names should not include a number either in numerical or written format.
  

It is the legal responsibility of the property owner to ensure that the approved property number and/or name is clearly displayed on a property.     

If a property has been allocated a number, it is not possible to remove the number unless it can be demonstrated that the number is misleading and is causing issues for the occupants.     

The owner of a property can apply to change an existing name (or alias name), or add a name to property that is already numbered subject to the completion of an application form, and payment of the required fee.     

• All requests to address a property, or amend an existing address, should be made by the owner/developer. An application can be submitted on behalf of an owner where a letter of consent if provided.
  
• All applications for new addresses, or where a change of use had occurred, will be checked against the planning database and will be rejected if the correct planning consents have NOT been obtained. Issuing of an address does not serve as confirmation that any building or structure is authorised under Planning legislation.
• All approved addresses must comply with British Standard 7666.
  
• If you are unhappy with our decision regarding any matter covered by this policy, you can make a complaint using the Council’s complaints procedure.
  

• Please download an application form from our website for all application types. The form can either be saved to a computer, completed, and emailed back to us as an attachment; or can be printed and scanned.
• Follow the instructions on Page 1 showing which sections to complete for each application type.
  
• Please remember to include a site plan (1:1250) and/ or Block (1:500) and Layout Plans (1:200) as required as part of the planning application process. All applications for multiple addresses within a building will require the submission of floor plans. It should be clear from the plans what the main point of access to a building is, and where the delivery point (letter box) is located. Please provide details of existing plot numbers where used.
• Please download the SNN Fee Schedule from the website to calculate the correct fee for each application, and the methods of payment accepted. Please note that an application cannot be processed until the fee has been paid.
• We aim to process applications within 15 working days; however, we may need to contact you during an application to discuss the proposed address. Please provide us with a telephone number and email address to contact you on so as not to delay the application process.
  
• Once we have agreed a proposed address with you, we will apply to Royal Mail for a postcode to be allocated.
• Once the postcode has been allocated, we will email you with the legal official address documents.
• We will also notify a mailing list of statutory undertakers which includes the following departments and agencies:
• Yorkshire Ambulance Service
• WY Police
• WY Fire and Rescue Service
• Yorkshire Water
• Ordnance Survey
• BT Open reach
• Valuation Office Agency
• Land Registry
• Leeds City Council – Council Tax
• Leeds City Council – Business Rates
• Leeds City Council - Electoral Registration
• Leeds City Council – Highways / S38
• Leeds City Council – Street Name plates
• Leeds City Council – Local Land Charges
• Leeds City Council – Street Lighting
• Leeds City Council – Refuse Collection

• Once an official address has been assigned, the Council will apply to Royal Mail for a postcode. Allocation and maintenance of post codes is managed by Royal Mail and all post codes must be confirmed by them, they will also allocate a post town.
  
• Royal Mail will only register properties which have their own secure letter Sometimes this can cause problems as people think their address/flat should be registered. If mail for multiple flats or offices is delivered to a single letter box, and occupants then collect their own mail, Royal Mail class this as a ‘multiple occupancy’ and will only register the parent building and not individual flat numbering schemes within the building.
  
• We recommend that all flats are provided with a separate letter box or delivery point to enable them to be registered with Royal Mail.
• Existing postcodes can be checked on the Royal Mail postcode finder.
  
• After Royal Mail allocate a postcode, they add the new postal address into the Not Yet Built file (NYB). Only when a new property is built, occupied and can receive mail will Royal Mail update the address from the NYB file to the Postcode Address file (PAF). Telephone Royal Mail on 03456 011110 to update an address from NYB to PAF, or alternatively complete Royal Mail's Activate a New Property web form.
  
• Royal Mail can be contacted:

Address Management Centre
Royal Mail
Admiral House
2 Admiral Way
Doxford International Business Park
SUNDERLAND
SR3 3XW

Telephone 03456 011 110 or 03456 045 060