New road names

When a new development is approved, the developer is required to provide names for all the new roads that have been created as part of the development.

Selection, approval & registration of names

To ensure the names of all Roads are selected, managed and controlled in a consistent manner, Council requests that a Road Name application be lodged for roads within new developments in the region.

The application process ensures that relevant external bodies (ie UBD, Department of Environment and Resource Management etc.) are notified as soon as a new road name has been adopted.

How to select road names

The applicant shall submit two (2) names for each road. In submitting names the applicant shall give reasons for the choice and pay particular attention to the following preferred categories:

Name of historic significance
Names of families who have had a long association with the locality or pioneers of the area
Names of service personnel from the area who have died serving Australia
Names of long serving Councillors (pre 1974) of other people who have undertaken significant community service
Follow a theme through an estate e.g. famous people, colours, mountains
Suitable names of flora or fauna species found in the locality

Names that are not preferred are street names that:

Are difficult to pronounce or very long
Are difficult to spell
Are hyphenated words
Are plural or possessive in nature
May offend or be seen to be offensive

The Council:

May select any name submitted by the applicant or may select such other names as it deems appropriate
May change the name from time to time
May not select any name that is then the name of any other road in the district Area.
Every blind road shall be named A Court or A Close or other similar name, but not Road, Street, Avenue or Crescent
Where approved by the Divisional Councillor, certain no-through roads of an appropriate length be designated A Drive (M P99/1205)
The Council shall maintain a road register in which it shall, for historical purposes, record the reasons for the selection of each road name
The applicant submitting a suggested road name shall lodge a written statement of the reasons for its selection.

Assistance with selection of road names

Council can provide advice or assistance with the selection of appropriate names for roads within a new development. Council can research the historic details of the property or local area and provide a few options such as names of the first settlers in the area or anything else that may be relevant.

Road name designations

Avenue - must be tree-lined or proposed to be tree-lined or within a well treed area and be a through road
Boulevard - collector or trunk collector road which is generally extra wide, well landscaped and likely to incorporate a central median
Circuit - a short road closing on itself or a long meandering road coming back to the road of origin, but not necessarily closing on itself, maximum of 75 lots
Close - cul-de-sac, generally a maximum of 20 lots
Court - cul-de-sac, generally a maximum of 20 lots
Crescent - must have a pronounced curve in alignment, maximum of 75 lots
Drive - trunk collector or collector road of some significance, greater than 75 lots and no through roads of an appropriate length
Esplanade - only used where the road is adjacent to a lake, river or beach
Lane - short, narrow cul-de-sac, maximum of three (3) lots
Parade - road of some significance and a through road
Place - cul-de-sac, maximum of six (6) lots
Road - principal name designation for major roads and roads in rural areas
Street - principal name designation for urban areas
Terrace - road of some significance and a through road
Way - arterial, sub-arterial or distributor function road generally extra wide and incorporating a central median

Submit application to Council

All applications for approval of new road names should include the road layout plan (including any future road extensions) on A4 size paper. The new roads should be numbered (1, 2, 3 etc) for identification.

Council requires that the application for approval of new road names for new developments is submitted with the application for reconfiguring a lot. The approved new road names are also to be shown on the engineering drawings when these are submitted to Council for approval.

Council's Road Name Register

The Council maintains a road register where the the reasons for the selection of each road name are recorded for historical purposes.