Numbering streets and buildings - guidance

Apply for a new street name or number
  • A new street should be numbered with even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other, except for a cul-de-sac, where consecutive numbering in a clockwise direction is preferred.
  • Private garages and similar buildings used for housing cars, and such like, should not be numbered.
  • 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.
  • 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 association will not be sanctioned.
  • If a building has entrances in more than one street but is a multi-occupied building, and each entrance leads to a separate occupation, then each entrance should be numbered in the appropriate road. Exceptions may be made, depending on the circumstances, for a house divided into flats.
  • A named building may not have more than one number in one street.
  • The numbering of flats within a named or numbered building is outside the scope of the Council'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 Road, not Flat A, 21 Smith Road or 21A Smith Road, which might already be used by an adjoining infill building).
  • 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.  Legislation permits the use of numbers followed by fractions, but these should only be used where it is not possible to use letters.