Property naming
Gwynedd Council is the Street Naming and Numbering Authority for Gwynedd.
Once a scheme has been designed and deposited for building control and planning approval, it is very important that the development is given a name. This is to ensure that statutory bodies such as the fire authority, police, ambulance and postal services have a common name which is of knowledge to all concerned.
How to apply?
Apply online – street naming and numbering request
The online form above can be used to:
- Name a new house/business/flat
- Name a new estate
- Re-name a house/business/flat
- Change or add a name to a street/terrace/estate
Once a name is adopted, numerous statutory bodies are informed.
Fees
Welsh names on properties and streets
We encourage the use of Welsh names on properties.
We also require proposed street name to be:
- Bilingual unless Welsh is proposed;
- Readily translated into Welsh; and
- Wherever practicable derived from historical, geographical or local connections in the area
If you want to change a current name in circumstances where the current name is original and long standing, particularly an old Welsh name, then we would ask you to reconsider. This might even be the case if the new name is Welsh. However, the final decision rests with the owner.
Avoiding duplication
Objections are sometimes raised to proposed names, mainly because the name could be confused with similar names in the area. In such cases the Council would ask the applicant to think again and come up with alternative suggestions.
How are new streets/ estates numbered?
The Council, in consultation with the developer, decides the numbering of new houses. As you enter a development, it is usual that the even numbers are on the left, with odd numbers on the right. If the development is small, the properties can be numbered in sequence, e.g. 1–7.
We will check your suggested street names for duplication in the local area, and forward them to Royal Mail and other departments for consultation. When we have an agreed name, we will then register the street name and prepare a numbering schedule. The information is then sent to public utilities, emergency services, Land Registry, Ordnance Survey and relevant council services. You will also be sent a copy of the naming and numbering schedule from which we would ask you to inform all your prospective purchasers of their new property address. Where appropriate, you will be asked to provide new street name plates to our standard design.
What happens if a street needs renaming/renumbering?
On rare occasions it becomes necessary to rename or renumber a street. This is usually only done as a last resort when:
- there is confusion over a street's name and/or numbering;
- a group of residents are unhappy with their street name;
- new properties are built in a street and there is a need for other properties to be renumbered to accommodate the new properties; or,
- the number of named-only properties in a street is deemed to be causing confusion for visitors, postal services, or the emergency services.