FOI Request - List of Names and Numbers Assigned to Properties
Request 101003716751
My understanding is that you are the authority statutorily responsible for naming and numbering properties and streets within your jurisdiction under the Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847 and the Public Health Act 1925.
This data forms a critical part of our national infrastructure, enabling economic growth, research, and innovation. Businesses rely on accurate naming and numbering data to serve customers, manage logistics, and make investment decisions. Academic researchers use it to study housing patterns, urban development, and social trends. Local organisations and charities need it to deliver their services to the community. Open access to authoritative naming and numbering data can drive efficiency in the private sector, enable evidence-based policymaking, and foster technological innovation in areas like delivery services and property technology. Given these significant public benefits, there is a clear and strong public interest in ensuring this foundational data is openly available for analysis, verification, and reuse.
Please provide an up-to-date list of all current properties within the Authority’s jurisdiction, in Excel (.xlsx) or CSV (.csv) format. Where the word "assigned" is used, it is referring to what the Authority deems to be the official value for the purposes of administering its naming and numbering duties. Please include the following 9 columns:
1. "Property local authority reference": the reference the Authority uses internally to uniquely identify the property.
2. "Property name": the officially recognised name of the property. Leave blank if no name is assigned.
3. "Property number": the number of the property on its street. For example, "13", "221B" or "18-20". Leave blank if no number is assigned.
4. "Property sub-division name": flat, apartment, unit or suite names/numbers, for example. Leave blank if the property is not a sub-division.
5. "UPRN": the Unique Property Reference Number.
6. "Street local authority reference": the reference the Authority uses internally to uniquely identify the street the property is located on.
7. "Street name": the name of the street the property is located on. For example, "High Street". Leave blank if no name is assigned.
8. "Street number": the number of the street the property is located on, such as "A12" or "B123". Non-standard numbers used internally by the Authority such as "C", "D" and "U" roads are also acceptable, but not required. Leave blank if no number is assigned.
9. "USRN": the Unique Street Reference Number of the street the property is located on.
I am only requesting data assigned as part of the Authority’s statutory naming and numbering duties. I am NOT requesting additional metadata such as property ownership, land use classifications, geographical coordinates, postal addresses or property type.
As far as I'm aware, the Authority does not make this data available elsewhere. Some commercial products provide access to data that is derived from the Authority's assigned names and numbers, but they have been further modified and mixed with third-party data sources, meaning I can't actually access the data I'm requesting via these products. The expensive and restrictive commercial licences also mean the data is not easily accessible or usable.
Due to the existence of commercial products that use this public data, I understand the Authority may need to consider how this request could prejudice these commercial interests. The data I have requested is fundamentally required for the Authority to perform its statutory duties: there is no ambiguity that this data forms part of the public record.
UPRNs and USRNs are explicitly designated as open identifiers available under the Open Government License. While GeoPlace coordinates the national system, the Authority is still performing the statutory function of assigning names and numbers, and is creating these national identifiers as part of their duties. The fact that UPRNs and USRNs are national stand
Response 10-03-2025
The response has been sent to the requester directly.