This page explains the responsibility the Council has for naming streets and numbering properties and includes the Street Naming & Numbering policy handbook. It also explains the role of Royal Mail in assigning postcodes
Our Responsibility
The naming of streets along with the numbering (and naming) of buildings within Nottingham City is the legal duty of Nottingham City Council and the responsibility of the Council's Street Naming and Numbering role holder. Within Nottingham City Council, this role is covered by the Address Management team.
Addresses are maintained by the team in a database known as the 'Local Land and Property Gazetteer' (LLPG). This database is then fed into a National Address Gazetteer. The products produced from this by Ordnance Survey are widely used by both the public and private sector across the country.
Individuals and developers must NOT allocate their own building numbers, building names if no number is allocated, or street names.
It is important that everyone uses the official addresses assigned by the Council - including street names and building numbers - in order that properties can be easily identified and located by visitors and service providers, and most importantly the emergency services. If you would like to propose a new or changed address, please complete our Online Application Form.
It is also very important that every property is clearly labelled with its official number or name - this removes a lot of problems with property location.
The Council will not normally charge for Street Naming and Numbering work. However, in cases where work is discretionary or additional then a fee will apply.
Street Naming and Numbering Policy Handbook
This handbook is a summarised and simplified version of our internal policy and is a reference guide for dealing with the Council on address issues. It gives further detail to the subjects covered by the Address Management webpages.
Postcodes and Royal Mail
Royal Mail is responsible for allocating postcodes to properties.
- Postcodes are the responsibility of Royal Mail and not the Council
- You can check the postcode that Royal Mail holds for an address using their online Postcode Finder
- To inform Royal Mail of completion/occupation of a property, use the email address addressmaintenance@royalmail.com or telephone 0845 601 1110 (and choose option 3, then option 1)
Process
- After agreeing the street name and building number elements of a new official address, the Address Management Officer will then notify several other parties with this information - this includes various council departments, utility companies and Royal Mail
- Royal Mail then allocates a postcode to each address and notifies the Council. The authority's address database is then updated with these postcodes
- If Royal Mail receives any queries about an address which is not on their system, they may refer them to the Council
- Agreeing addresses via the Address Management process is vital if problems with services or location finding are to be avoided
Royal Mail's 'Postcode Address File'
If the address relates to a newly built or converted property and has been registered by the Council, it will not appear on Royal Mail's current database until the developer or occupier has notified Royal Mail that the property is complete.
To inform Royal Mail of completion/occupation of a property, use the email address addressmaintenance@royalmail.com or telephone 0845 601 1110 (and choose option 3, then option 1).
Contact us
Address Management
Development Department
Nottingham City Council
Loxley House
Station Street
Nottingham
NG2 3NG
Tel: 0115 876 5012
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