Local Government (Numbers and Addresses of Buildings in Townlands) Bill - As Introduced

Local Government (Townlands) Bill - As Introduced.pdf (81.65 kb)

CONTENTS

1. Numbering of buildings by councils

2. Role of the Department

3. Short title

4. Commencement

A

B i l l

to

Amend the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 to make provision about the allocation of numbers to buildings and the format of addresses.

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:

Numbering of buildings by councils

1.—(1) Article 11 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1)⁠—

(a) after “in its district” insert “, or anywhere in any townland in its district,”;

(b) after “a nameplate showing the name of the street” insert “, townland or both”;

(c) in sub-paragraph (a) after “street” insert “, townland or both”; and

(d) in sub-paragraph (b) for “that name” substitute “such names”.

(3) After paragraph (1) insert⁠—

“(1A) A council may, subject to paragraph (1B), allocate to the buildings in a street or a townland in its district such numbers as it thinks fit.

(1B) In exercising its functions under paragraph (1A) a council shall have regard to any guidance issued by the Department.”.

(4) In paragraph (2) after “street” wherever it occurs insert “, townland or both”.

(5) In paragraph (3) after “street” insert “or townland”.

(6) In paragraph (4) after “street” wherever it occurs insert “or townland”.

(7) In paragraph (5)(b)⁠—

(a) after “any street” insert “or townland”;

(b) after “name of the street” insert “, townland or both”; and

(c) after “erected in the street” insert “or townland”.

(8) In paragraph (5)(c)⁠—

(a) after “any street” insert “or townland”;

(b) after “name of the street” insert “, townland or both”; and

(c) after “in which the street” insert “or townland”.

(9) In paragraph (6)⁠—

(a) for “(1)” substitute “(1A)”;

(b) after “street” wherever it occurs insert “or townland”; and

(c) for “approve” substitute “allocate”.

Role of the Department

2.—(1) In Article 2(2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 after “the Department of the Environment” insert “, save in Articles 11, 11A and 11B, where it means the Department of Finance and Personnel”.

(2) After Article 11 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 insert⁠—

“Guidance relating to numbering of buildings in townlands

11A. The Department may issue guidance relating to the allocation by councils of numbers to buildings in townlands.”.

(3) After Article 11A of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 as amended insert⁠—

“Duty of the Department relating to the use of townlands in addresses

11B.—(1) Where a council has under Article 11(1A) allocated a number to a building on the basis of the townland rather than the street in which the building is situated then the Department is under a duty to act in relation to that building in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) Where paragraph (1) applies, the Department must so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so in relation to the building concerned⁠—

(a) in exercising any of its land and property functions use an address format that complies with paragraph (3); and

(b) use such an address format when providing to third parties information relating to the address of the building concerned.

(3) An address format complies with this paragraph if the number of the building appears immediately before the townland in which the building is situated, and both the number and townland concerned appear before the street in which the building is situated.

(4) In this Article⁠—

(a) “address format” means the order in which the number of a building, the townland in which the building is situated, and the street in which the building is situated, appear in the address of that building; and

(b) “land and property functions” means any of the Department’s functions relating to land and property matters including without limitation⁠—

(i) maintaining the title register;

(ii) providing land information services in Northern Ireland;

(iii) supplying mapping information for Northern Ireland; and

(iv) keeping and providing records and data about place and location in Northern Ireland.”.

Short title

3. This Act may be cited as the Local Government (Numbers and Addresses of Buildings in Townlands) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.

Commencement

4.—(1) Section 2(1) and (2) come into operation on the day after this Act receives Royal Assent.

(2) The remaining provisions of this Act come into operation on the expiration of 6 months from the day on which it receives Royal Assent.