Each local authority in the UK has statutory responsibility for issuing official addresses in their area. In Bromley, any new addresses or changes to addresses are done through the following process which follows the street naming and numbering guidelines.
If you want to obtain addresses for a new development, redevelopment, conversion or if you wish to change your house name, you can complete the street naming and numbering application form.
Street naming and numbering application form (PDF - 167.92 KB)
The completed form needs to be returned and signed along with the appropriate fee. Whilst we accept cheques, the preferred method of payment is by BACS. We can supply BACS details once we have confirmed the fee.
If your application involves a proposed new street name or proposed new building name then we must check that there is no duplication, conflict, awkward spelling or pronunciation. We will confirm which of the supplied names you can use.
Once an address is agreed and officially issued, your letter of confirmation is also your official Street Naming and Numbering certificate. As part of issuing an address, many other official organisations are notified, including Council Tax, Electoral Register, Business Rates, Royal Mail, Ordnance Survey, some utilities and the emergency services.
Please note that the Royal Mail, not the local authority, is responsible for issuing any new postcodes or change of postcodes. They will do this once they receive confirmation from us. The Royal Mail will only add addresses to their main database as seen on the Royal Mail website once the property is occupied. There is a contact Royal Mail telephone number on the address confirmation letter sent to applicants for postcode confirmation and address activation. If you wish to add a name to a house that already has a street number, the number cannot be dropped and replaced by the name. Whilst we will store the house name and street number as a single address, the Royal Mail will display the address twice on their website; once with the house name and once without. They update their house names on a monthly basis.
We will update our own records, which will in turn update the National Address Gazetteer (NAG) database. This is then included within the AddressBase products maintained by the Ordnance Survey. The NAG is part of a government initiative.