Street naming - building numbering

Download and print an application form for Naming/Numbering of Streets/Building [PDF file information] (File size 24 Kb)

Return completed forms to:

Street Naming
Room 328 
Planning Services
Town Hall
Hornton Street
Lonond W8 7NX

For more information see the policy guidelines on the following

• Naming or renumbering of streets and buildings
• Numbering streets and businesses
• Renaming or renumbering of streets and buildings

Naming or renumbering of streets and buildings

The following policy guidelines have been established and followed over many years:

1. New street names should not duplicate any similar name already in use in a borough or neighbouring boroughs. A variation in the terminal word, example., "street", "road", "avenue", will not be accepted as sufficient reason to duplicate a name.
2. Street names should not be difficult to pronounce or awkward to spell. In general, words of more than three syllables should be avoided and this precludes the use of two words except in special cases.
3. Subsidiary names, such as a row of buildings within an already named road being called "….. Terrace", should only be used in roads of short length.
4. All new street names should end with one of the following suffixes:
   Street for any thoroughfare
   Road for any thoroughfare
   Way for major roads
   Avenue for residential roads
   Drive for residential roads
   Grove for residential roads
   Lane for residential roads
   Gardens for residential roads (subject to there being no confusion with any local open space)
   Place for residential roads
   Crescent for a crescent shaped road
   Close for a cul-de-sac only
   Square for a square only
   Hill for a hillside road only
   Circus for a large roundabout
   Vale for residential roads (only for exceptional use)
   Rise for residential roads (only for exceptional use)
   Row for residential roads (only for exceptional use)
   Wharf for residential roads (only for exceptional use)
   
   Suffixes which are not acceptable:  
   End, Court, Cross, Side, View, Walk, Park, Meadow. 
   All these words can, of course, be incorporated in a street name provided it ends with an appropriate suffix (example Mile End Road). 
   Exceptions:
   Single or dual names without suffixes in appropriate places (example, Broadway for major roads only).


5. All new pedestrian ways should end with one of the following suffixes:
   Walk
   Path
   Way
   
6. No street or building name to start with "The".
7. All new building names should end with one of the following suffixes:
   Lodge
   Apartments
   Mansions
   House
   Court - residential only
   Point - high block residential only
   Tower - high block offices or residential
   Heights - high block offices or residential
   For private houses it is sufficient that the name should not repeat the name of the road or that of any other house or building in the area.
   The use of North, East, South or West (as in Alfred Road North and Alfred Road South, or East or West) is only acceptable where the road is continuous and passes over a major junction. It is not acceptable when the road is in two separate parts with no vehicular access between the two. In such a case half should be renamed.
   Avoid having two phonetically similar names within a postal area and, if possible, within a borough, example, Alfred Road and Alfred Close or Churchill Road and Birch Hill Road.

Policy Guidelines for numbering streets and building

1. A new street should be numbered with even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other except that, for a cul-de-sac, consecutive numbering in a clockwise direction is preferred.
2. Private garages and similar buildings used for housing cars, and such like., should not be numbered.
3. No sanction will be given to the avoidance of any numbers, such as: 13, 7, 4, and so on, and a proper sequence should be maintained.
4. Buildings (including those on corner sites) are numbered according to the street in which the main entrance is to be found and 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.
5. If a building has entrances in more than one street but is a multi-occupied building, and each entrance leads to a separate occupied, then each entrance should be numbered in the appropriate road. Exceptions may be made, depending on the circumstances, for a house divided into flats.
6. A named building may not have more than one number in one street.
7. In residential buildings (example, blocks of flats) it is usual to give a street number to each dwelling where the block is up to six storeys in height. When the block exceeds this height or there are not sufficient numbers available because of existing development, it should be given a name or number in the street. 
   The numbering of flats within a named or numbered building is outside the scope of the borough's powers, but developers are advised that on each floor the numbering should be in a clockwise direction where this is possible, or alternatively consult with the local District Postmaster. 
   When flats are numbered internally they should be numbered not lettered (example, Flat 2, 21 Smith Street, not Flat A, 21 Smith Street and not 21A Smith Street which might already be used by an adjoining infill building).
8. Legislation permits the use of numbers followed by letters or fractions. These are needed, for instance, when one large house in a road is demolished and replaced by (say) four smaller houses. 
   To include the new houses in the numbered road sequence would involve renumbering all the higher numbered houses on that side of the road. If a considerable number of other houses would be affected, then to avoid this each new house should be given the number of the old house with either A, B, C or D added. Fractions are only used where it is not possible to use letters.

Policy guidelines for renaming or renumbering of streets and buildings

Renaming/renumbering existing streets and buildings is normally only considered when changes occur which give rise (or are likely to give rise) to problems for the occupiers, Post Office, Emergency Services, and such like

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