Road Naming and Property Addressing

The identifying characteristic which delineates the address from those on the same road and within the same locality. Address numbers shall be:

1. Unique, clear, logical and unambiguous.
2. Sequential positive integers.
3. Odd numbers on the left side of the road and even numbers on the right side. An exception to this principle is where the existing numbering pattern of an area runs opposite to this instruction – in which case numbering shall continue as per existing layout.
4. Created without prefixes, in the form of proceeding alphabetical characters.
5. Singular, i.e. no number ranging (such as “6-10 Albert Street”) shall be used.
6. Distinct from Lot Numbers i.e. lot numbers shall not be used in place of an assigned rural or urban address number.
7. Numbering shall adhere to these principles, regardless of individual preferences regarding numbering or naming types.

Urban infill frequently results in situations where there are no address numbers available for a new address site due to existing numbering on the road. In these situations alpha suffixes (e.g. “85A” and “85B Albert Street”) shall be assigned for the existing and the new address sites. Address sites that share access should be treated as sub-address sites (e.g. “1/7” and “2/7 Albert Street”). Shared access could be through common property or easements. Where address sites do not share access but have individual access to the road, alpha suffixes shall be assigned. The system for determining address numbers in rural and semi-rural areas is based on the distance of the access point from the start of the road.

Allocated in accordance with the primary point of pedestrian access (i.e. where access is most likely to occur for a visitor entering an address site from a road).

The Suburb in which the address site is located.

The State in which the address site is located.

In May 2015, Council was provided a list of property addresses within the Lithgow Local Government Area which are non-compliant with the requirements of the NSW Addressing Policy and AUM. This may be due to the following reasons:

• No address number has been recorded for the property.
• Lot numbers are not permitted to be used in place of an assigned urban or rural address number. Lot numbers might often change over time through methods such as subdivision and there is often many of the same “Lot numbers” within a road. For example, there are currently seventy-two (72) “Lot 1s” located on the Great Western Highway in the Lithgow Local Government Area.
• There is a duplicate address number existing within the street.
• The rural/semi-rural address number is not accurately based on the distance of the access to the land from the start of the road.
• The address number is non-sequential or has not been allocated in accordance with existing “even” and “odd” numbers located on either side of the road.
• Urban infill (new development) has caused a need for a redistribution/reallocation of address numbers.
• The road name provided in the property address is not in accordance with the primary point of pedestrian access.
• A new road name has been allocated to the street/road.
• The locality name provided is not in accordance with the suburb in which the land is located.

Council has been working progressively to correct any non-compliant property addresses within the Lithgow Local Government Area to ensure that accurate addressing information is recorded for adequate navigation, emergency response, service delivery and statistical analysis.

An “Application for Rural Address Numbering” can be supplied to Council should you wish to seek a new property address. If the land is located within a rural or semi-rural area the Rural Address Numbering Fee is required to be paid as prescribed under current Councils Fees and Charges. However, the fee is not required to be paid if the land is located in an urban/residential area or the new property address is required to be allocated in conjunction with a Development Application submitted to Council for new development or the subdivision of land.

If you believe that your property address or road name is incorrectly recorded and requires confirmation, a written request may be submitted to Council for a review of your address details. Should a new address change be required, Council may request that the relevant fees be paid.

Council notifies the following authorities of any newly allocated or changed property address:

• NSW Department of Finance Services and Innovation – NSW Spatial Services.
• NSW Department of Finance Services and Innovation – NSW Valuation Services.
• Ambulance Service NSW.
• Australia Post.
• Endeavour Energy.
• NSW Police.
• The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
• Essential Energy.
• Fire & Rescue NSW
• Fire NSW.
• State Emergency Service (SES).
• NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS).
• NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) – Commissioners Office.
• Lithgow City Council Rates Clerk.

The NSW Address Database (the official database repository for all addresses in NSW) is maintained by NSW Spatial Services and is utilised by a number of Government Agencies, Emergency Services, Utility Providers, Address Content Service Providers and Corporate Bodies.

An individual may suggest an address for their property that they believe is logical. However, address numbering must adhere to the principles outlined in Chapter 6 of the NSW AUM and Lithgow City Council is authorised to allocate property addresses regardless of individual preferences on numbering or naming types.

Council will not make any changes to the postal address unless explicitly requested by the landowner in writing. Postal addresses are not always identical to the property address and may include P.O Boxes or the landowner’s residential address (which may be located elsewhere).

All formed roads, including private roads (roads for which the care and maintenance is not the responsibility of a Local Government) that are generally open to the public or to services shall be named. This includes, but is not limited to bike paths; bridle paths; walking tracks; roads within complexes such as universities, hospitals and retirement villages; roads within national parks; and pedestrian only roads, such as plazas. Roads containing more than five address sites are required to be named.

The road naming proposal may not have complied with the requirements of Chapter 6 of the NSW AUM, or adequate evidence/research may not have been provided to support your road naming proposal.