For many organisations - such as the Post Office, emergency
services and utility companies - it is crucial that there
is an efficient means of locating and referencing properties.
As such the Council is required to provide
a street naming and numbering service.
What we do
Responsibility for street naming and numbering rests with
the our Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) and GIS
Coordinator, and the Street Naming and Numbering Officer.
They ensure that all properties are named and numbered
according to 'BS7666', which ensures that any new streets and
buildings are named and numbered in a logical and consistent way
and are entered in the correct format on the
Council’s system.
New developments and streets
To apply for new street names, developers should complete an
application form and return it to us at the address provided on the
form. We also require two copies of a site plan - these
are used to indicate the correct postal numbering and location
of street name plates. Suggestions for street
names should be submitted in accordance with the
guidance notes.
Copies of the site plans are available from Centremaps at
Freephone 0800 328 8975 or by accessing the
Centremaps website (external link). Alternatively, copies
are available from the Planning Portal
(external link).
The approval process
Once we have received the proposals we consult with the Royal
Mail, the Council's ward members, portfolio holder and, where
applicable, the parish council. We allow a period of two
weeks for any comments or objections to be made, and 28 days for
the full procedure.
Once a new postal address or street name has been allocated we
will contact Royal Mail, who are 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.
Any queries regarding postcodes can be dealt with by the Royal
Mail by calling 0906 302 1222 (Postcode Enquiries), or via the
Royal Mail (external link)
website.
Change of property name
If your property has a name instead of a postal number and
you wish to change the name, you need approval. This is to
make sure that the Local Land and Property Gazetteer is kept up to
date and to ensure that the guidance for street naming is
followed. It also ensures that properties in the same area
don't have the same name, in order to avoid confusion for the
emergency services and the post office.
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. However, it is
advisable to check with us in case there are any other properties
with the same name in the area. Replacing a postal number with a
name will not be approved as this causes confusion for postal
deliveries and the emergency services.
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.
Contact us
For further information on street naming and numbering please
contact:
Karen Macdonald, Street Naming and Numbering
Officer
Tel: 01695 585158
Email: karen.macdonald@westlancs.gov.uk
For GIS and Land & Property Gazetteer information please
contact:
Sylvia Mason, GIS and LLPG Co-ordinator
Tel: 01695 585273
Email: sylvia.mason@westlancs.gov.uk