ALL future housing developments in Bradford will be designed to have 20mph roads.

A new design guide for future housing in the district also pushes for new homes to be fully accessible, a stronger focus on pedestrians and cyclists and making developments more wildlife friendly.

Bradford’s new Homes and Neighbourhoods Design Guide will soon go out to public consultation, and was discussed by members of the decision making Executive yesterday.

It will set out policies that will shape the future homes built across the district.

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, said: “This is a step change for housing in our district going forward.”

The report says: “Routes for vehicles should be safe, and designed to limit speeds to 20mph.”

Council approves 20mph zones in Bradford city centre and around two schools

It follows a decision to implement the same speed limit on most city centre streets

Cllr Ross Shaw asked Julian Jackson, assistant director for planning, to expand on this policy, and he replied: “One aim is to create safe, well connected roads, and this will include limiting speeds to 20mph. This will be the default speed limit for new developments in the district.”

Cllr Ross Shaw pointed out that the Council already has a policy of requiring all new developments to have electric vehicle charging points, to encourage more people to switch from petrol to electric, and that thousands of houses with charging points would be built in the coming years. He said lower speed limits would make new developments safer and more attractive, adding: “As 20mph becomes the default on new developments we’ll really see the impact.”

He said when he asks people on social media what they would like to see introduced in urban areas, many people call for green spaces. Stephen Broadbent, urban designer on the Council, said: “We will be adding more biodiversity into developments, creating wildlife corridors.

“We will require developers to do more on site planting, adding, for example, more hedgerows.

“We want to enable small animals like hedgehogs to be able to pass through garden boundaries. Things like this can make a huge difference to the environment.

“We will make it a requirement that all homes are accessible or adaptable. All homes should have a level access, and be fully accessible to wheelchairs.”

He said developments should all include adequate car parking ang bin storage to prevent people parking or storing bins on the public highway.

The Council is also working with Born In Bradford to make sure new developments have access to green spaces. Mr Broadbent added: “We need play space close to where children live - that is really important for their health.

“They may just be small places, but it is important they are close to where people live, even if they are relaxed, informal areas.”

Members supported the document, and it will now go out to an eight week public consultation.

The results of that consultation will then go back before the Council before the final document is approved.