Name or rename a street

Before a street is given a name, any proposals must be received in writing by email to: 
 address.management@nfdc.gov.uk or by letter to: 

Address Management
New Forest District Council
Appletree Court
Beaulieu Road
Lyndhurst
SO43 7PA.  

Naming a new street

Proposed street names will be welcomed that reflect local history, geographical connections or the name of a deceased person with a local affiliation to an area (first name or surname only).

Where a proposed street name relates to a deceased person, the proposer would need to obtain written consent from a family member of the deceased and provide it to us.

The developer or proposer of a new street name must obtain permission from the Lord Chamberlain's Office for the use of any street with a 'Royal' connection, such as: Royal, Queen, Duke, Princess, Prince. We will require evidence of this permission.

All new street names must end with an appropriate street suffixes from the following list, or something similar:

• Avenue
• Close
• Crescent
• Drive
• Gardens
• Grove
• Hill
• Lane
• Mews
• Rise
• Road
• Square
• Street
• Way.

All new pedestrian ways should end with one of the following suffixes:

• Path
• Walk.

Reasons why we might reject a street name

Proposed street names will be rejected if they are:

• duplicate (or very similar to) an existing street name in the same town/village
• controversial or offensive
• difficult to spell, pronounce or over-long
• confusing (such as a street name that is the same as the town, or another unrelated area)
• names that could be seen as advertising
• the name of a living individual.

 In addition, we will not accept:

• new street names which include the word 'The'
• street names containing apostrophes
• streets with a persons full name.

Duplicate names will be rejected by Royal Mail, however, we will reject a proposed name without the need for consultation as there would be clear problems for the emergency services where duplicate street names exist.

Street naming process

Proposed street names submitted by the developer/ proposer will be accepted  subject to the above and will be forwarded to the following consultees for their observation:

• local ward member(s)
• parish / town council
• Royal Mail.

Taking into account any comments made by consultees, the contents of this guidance (and any other applicable guidance) we will decide whether a proposed street name should be accepted or rejected.

Where a name is rejected, the developer/ proposer will be informed of the reasons. 

Following a decision on naming a new street, no further application to rename the street will normally be accepted in respect of that street until 10 years after the decision.

Upon agreement of a new street name we will notify Council Tax and Electoral Services, Royal Mail, Ordnance Survey and Emergency Services.

Street name plates

We have the responsibility to erect street name plates.

Depending on the nature or layout of a development, number plates may also be required to ensure that the Royal Mail, delivery services and emergency service are able to identify particular numbered properties.

An example of this situation might include where an extension to a street is proposed and the location of the new numbered properties is not obvious. 

The developer/ proposer of a new street will be responsible for the charge for the new street name plate, and where applicable, number plates. 

When a street name has been approved, we will advise the developer of the number of plates (both name and number (if applicable) required and the initial cost.  This may be amended if further plates are required after completion and the properties are occupied.

Material posts and frame

Consists of 80mm x 80mm x 1350mm recycled legs complete with a 25mm backing board.

This is contained within a routed area of the leg.

Plate is to be secured to the backing board with 50mm aluminium capping with anti vandal screws.

Two number base pins will be supplied to give anchorage to the sign once fitted

Plates

Consists of 2mm UV protected polycarbonate.

The front face is to be coated with white 10 year vinyl.

The plate will have a minimum depth of 150mm and have a vinyl 12mm border all round, complete with rounded corners.

Text consists of 89mm Kindersley script black.

Subsidiary letters are to be vinyl 50mm Kindersley script black.

Sign face to have full colour council logo to be applied to the left hand side and a No Dog Fouling symbol on the right.  No Through Road (816.1) symbol where applicable also positioned on right.

Costs

The costs are:

• Standard Street Name Plate, £420.00 
• Number Plate, £359.00

Additional charges are applicable for extra text lines over and above the Standard Street Name Plate cost above:

• Street Name Plate with 2 lines, £462.00
• Street Name Plate with 3 lines, £475.00

Naming an unnamed street

The guidance set out in the sections Naming a new street and Reasons why we might reject a street name, is applicable to naming an unnamed street.

Proposals from occupiers or others to name an unnamed street will be subject to a consultation process.  

Views will be sought from:

• occupiers of properties in the street which have a postal address
• local ward member(s)
• parish / town council
• Royal Mail.

Generally, for a proposed naming of a street to proceed (subject to the guidance laid out on this page) , two thirds of occupiers/owner, (whomever is liable to pay an amount of council tax) of properties within a postal address in the street will be required to support the proposal (one 'vote' per property).

The naming of an existing street may incur a change of postcode, decided by Royal Mail.

Taking into account any comments made by consultees, the contents of this guidance (and any other applicable guidance) we will decide whether a proposed street name should be accepted or rejected.

Where a name is rejected, the proposer will be informed of the reasons. 

Following a decision on naming an unnamed street, no further application will normally be accepted in respect of that street until 10 years after the decision.

Upon agreement of a new street name we will notify Council Tax and Electoral Services, Royal Mail, Ordnance Survey and Emergency Services.

Renaming of an existing, or part of, a named street

Renaming streets may cause costs and/ or disruption to individual occupiers and wherever possible should be avoided.  This is usually only done as a last resort i.e. renaming a street is normally only considered when changes occur which give rise (or are likely to give rise) to problems for the Emergency Services.

The guidance set out in the sections Naming a new street and Reasons why we might reject a street name is applicable to renaming an existing, or part of, a named street.

Before a street, or part of a street is given a name, any proposals must be received in writing by email to: 
 address.management@nfdc.gov.uk or by letter to: 

Address Management
New Forest District Council
Appletree Court
Beaulieu Road
Lyndhurst
SO43 7PA.  

Proposals from occupiers or others to re-name or name part of a street will be subject to a consultation process.  

Views will be sought from:

• occupiers of properties in the street which have a postal address
• local ward member(s)
• parish / town council
• Royal Mail.

Generally, for a proposed renaming of a street to proceed (subject to the guidance laid out in on this page), two thirds occupiers/owner (whomever is liable to pay an amount of council tax.) of properties within a postal address in the street will be required to support the proposal (one 'vote' per property).

The renaming or naming of an existing, or part of an, existing street may incur a change of postcode which will be issued by Royal Mail at their discretion.

The individual property owner who proposes the change will be responsible for the charge for the new street name plate, and where applicable, number plates.

The proposer will be invoiced for this cost and once payment is made the street name plate will be ordered.  If payment is not received the change will not be registered.

Taking into account any comments made by consultees, the contents of this guidance (and any other applicable guidance) we will decide whether a proposed renaming of a street, or part of a street, should be accepted or rejected. Where the proposed renaming is rejected, the proposer will be informed of the reasons. 

Following a decision on re-naming a street, or part of a street, no further application will be accepted in respect of that street until ten years after the decision. 

Upon agreement of a new street name we will notify Council Tax and Electoral Services, Royal Mail, Ordnance Survey and Emergency Services.