Road naming

The applicant must present a preferred name and at least one alternative name. The proposed names need to have significant context or meaning for the area and/or city. Avoid offensive names, names that refer to people who are alive or recently deceased (within three years), and duplicates (similar to an existing road in the city).

Please note our road name register has pre-approved names that developers can select from. Proposals using pre-approved names will be assessed directly by DCC staff and a result will be communicated to the applicant within a reasonable timeframe.

Pre-approved names do not need to be submitted to Council for formal approval, however community boards (where relevant) will be informed of the chosen names.

Submit your names using the road name application form. Providing comprehensive information to support a road name means a decision can be made more easily.

Please note, any proposal lacking sufficient reasoning and relevance or evidence of consultation when required, will be rejected.

For more information refer to the to the Road Naming Policy and selection criteria.

Preferred and alternative names are evaluated against the road naming policy to see if they comply with the selection criteria.

During the assessment, staff will liaise with the developer and/or applicant where necessary.

If the road to be named is within a community board area, it will be considered by that board at its next suitable meeting.

The recommendations of the community board (including advice on consultation) will be considered and communicated to the applicant.

Once the community board supports at least one of the proposed names, the case is ready to be considered by the Council.

• Community Board maps

The Council will make a decision on the options presented, and the applicant will be informed of the outcome.

Afterwards, LINZ will be informed so it can add the name/s to the relevant registers.

The DCC will contact the applicant to arrange payment for the installation of road name signage.

The proposed name should reflect one of the following:

1. A common or established theme. In a subdivision with multiple roads to be named, we recommend choosing a common theme. If a common theme has already been established, the names should remain consistent with the theme.
2. A historical person that can be identified in written or oral historical records.This refers to the name of a notable person from early history. Evidence of this must be provided by the applicant.
3. A historical event. This refers to an event from early history. The event should preferably have local association with the immediate location or the wider Dunedin area. Historical events can be identified in written or oral historical records and evidence of this must be provided by the applicant.
4. A significant feature of social, cultural or physical importance. It is appropriate to name a road after a significant and well-known feature of the area (geographical feature, landscape, flora, or fauna). In that sense, naming features inexistent in the area should be avoided. (For ex. plants that are not evident in the area or views that cannot be identified).
5. A traditional or appropriate Māori name.If the name is Māori, the name must be checked by the applicant with the local Rūnaka/ mana whenua to ensure that it has been spelled and interpreted correctly and is acceptable to mana whenua. Evidence of this consultation is required.
6. A personal name for special service. This relates to people who contributed significantly to the fields of conservation, sport, arts, research, community service or some other sphere of activity with a local or national association. Evidence and explanation provided by the applicant is essential for the assessment.

1. Personal names. They are discouraged unless the submitted name has a historical connection with the property being subdivided or is a well-known or prominent person.
2. Living or recently deceased people. We do not accept names after living persons or recently deceased persons (before three years).
3. Amalgamation or derivatives names. Names that have been created by combining parts of words or names into a single word, such as anagrams or other amalgamations.
4. Names related to the commercial/marketing name of the subdivision. The council may not necessarily accept the commercial/marketing name for a development, as a road name.

1. Spelling and length. Names over 15 characters (including the space between the names but not including the suffix) will not be approved.
2. Alphabet and diacritics. Only the English and Māori alphabets should be used. This means special characters and diacritical marks should not be used except for the use of macrons in the spelling of Māori names.
3. The road name suffix for the road should be the one that most accurately reflects the type of roadway to be named. Road names without a suffix are not uncommon in Dunedin, but should only be used, if necessary, to accurately reference another name (e.g. Canongate is the name of an Edinburgh Street).

A list of suggested suffixes and their meanings is included in the table.

Proposing a road name may require consultation with anyone directly affected and evidence of consultation must be submitted to the DCC. These are the most common cases:

1. Names of a prominent person require consultation with close family members. (Present evidence of contact and support for the name to be used.)
2. Names of people closely associated with an organisation or group will require consultation with that group.
3. Traditional or appropriate Māori names need to be checked by the applicant with Otago Runaka/Mana Whenua.
4. Where a new name is proposed and a change on existing addresses on that road can be expected, owners of properties directly affected or connected to the new road need to be consulted and should agree with the proposed name. Evidence is required.

Please allow at least six months for new road names to be approved by the Council.

Pre-approved names selected from the road name register can be granted for immediate use following a staff assessment.

All new roads, accessways and private ways potentially serving more than five addressable sites.

These are normally determined at the point of subdivision.

The DCC engages with the wider Dunedin community to increase the diversity of road names used in the city.

We will engage with mana whenua on road names that represent the stories, values and local history of mana whenua.