Road Numbering

Meeting a Community Need

It is very important that Gosport Borough Council maintains a high standard of Road Naming and Postal Numbering throughout the Borough. This is essential for the work of the emergency and postal services, and the convenience of the general public.

Every road should be clearly marked with legible nameplates and every property with a visible number so that all properties can be easily identified by drivers and pedestrians.

This page explains what you should do if:

You wish to number or re-number your property, or
You wish to name a road, or
You wish to report a damaged or missing road name plate, or ask for a new nameplate.

Further information on any aspect of road naming or postal numbering can be obtained from:

Gosport Building Control Services
Town Hall,
High Street,
Gosport.
P012 1EB
or by telephoning Gosport (023) 9254 5431

Legal Requirements

The legal requirements for road naming and postal numbering are derived from the following: The Town Improvement Clauses Act 1847 (Sections 64 & 65) The Public Health Act 1907 (Section 21) The Public Health Act 1925 (Sections 17, 18 and 19)

Gosport Borough Council is responsible for road naming and postal numbering. The administration is undertaken by Building Control Services, and the arrangements for new street nameplates are made by Engineering Support at the Town Hall.

Reporting a Damaged or Missing Nameplate

If you know of a damaged or missing nameplate please tell us. We can then arrange to repair or replace it. Please write to:

Engineering Administration
Town Hall,
High Street,
Gosport.
P012 1EB
Telephone: (023) 9254 5406

Houses Without Numbers

New properties within Gosport are allocated full postal addresses during the course of their construction by Building Control Services.

This would also apply to conversion work where new housing units are created.

If, however, your property has never been given a number or you are experiencing problems because of inefficient postal numbering, please contact Building Control who will investigate the problem, and after consultation with the Post Office and the residents concerned, implement where possible a new postal numbering scheme.

Post Codes

Queries regarding post codes should be referred to the Royal Mail Post Codes Section, telephone Portsmouth (023) 9283 5459, or your local Post Office should be able to help in this matter. http://www.royalmail.co.uk/

Road Names on a New Development

Road names for new estates are suggested in the first place by the developer who submits a scheme of proposed names to the Council.

Building Control discuss all proposed names with the Post Office to ensure that they will not be duplicated or confused with any road names already within the Borough. Duplication of road names can cause problems for the Royal Mail staff and the emergency services.

The final choice of the most appropriate names will normally be made by the Ward Councillors, or if a particular problem arises , the Planning and Transportation Committee.

It is always difficult to choose names which will please everyone, but every effort is made to accommodate everyone's views.

Choosing a Road Name

When the Council first write to a developer requesting a list of proposed road names, it is possible for the Council to suggest names which have a relevance to the Borough. Developers are often very amenable to this type of name.

Such names would have an historical link with the Borough or commemorate persons who have served the Borough in an outstanding manner. Names that acknowledge international twinning links or those that record actions or happenings of national importance may also be suitable.

If you would like to suggest a name for use within the Borough, please contact:

Gosport Building Control Services
Town Hall,
High Street,
Gosport.
P012 1EB
Telephone: (023) 9254 5560

Your suggestion will, if approved by the Post Office, be placed on a list and forwarded to prospective developers within the Borough.