MOULDING the future of Ipswich, this man is on the look out for someone to play the ultimate name game.

MOULDING the future of Ipswich, this man is on the look out for someone to play the ultimate name game.

With the town expanding at a huge rate, town planning chiefs are to advertise for someone to deal solely with new street names and house numbers.

Over the past decade Ipswich has been among the fastest growing towns in the region with numerous large scale developments including hundreds of homes being built near the historic Waterfront.

The building surge has meant scores of new streets in the town which has caused a headache for planners.

Currently developers suggest possible names for new roads but before they can be agreed the council has to check to ensure they are suitable and not already in existence.

The new details and house numbers then need to be registered and passed on to emergency services, utility services and The Royal Mail, among others.

Colin Hook, building control operations manager, said it is important to appoint someone to take on the job full time.

He said: “The rate of development in Ipswich is phenomenal.

“When you have a new development the services like water and electricity companies won't give a service to a new property unless they have got a post code.

“You can't get a post code until there is a street name and number.

“With the large developments going on it has become quite and intensive amount of work to do.”

As well as providing details for utility companies and emergency services street names also have to be registered so satellite navigation systems can be kept up to date.

Town planners gave the nod for a full-time street naming officer to be appointed at a meeting held earlier this month.

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Ipswich Building Control is responsible for naming new roads and streets, and numbering new premises within the Borough of Ipswich.

On developments where new streets are being provided, the developer puts forward suggested names.

Before road names are agreed certain consultations take place to avoid repetition or similarity, this would include local councillors, Post Office, adjacent Local Authorities and other interested parties.

The numbering of the streets is normally carried out at the same time as the streets are named on the development.

Details of naming and numbering schemes are circulated to all the emergency services and utility services.

The Local Highway Authority are responsible for ensuring that nameplates for all streets are provided and fixed in suitable prominent positions.

Martinet Green (Ravenswood, where many roads are named after British aircraft).

Peppercorn Way (Off Wherstead Road, named after locomotive engineers).

Grafton Way (Near Cardinal Park, named after HMS Grafton and Suffolk's premier Duke).

Sir Alf Ramsey Way (Near Portman Road - does anyone not know who this is named after?).