A return to Victorian values is behind a new housing development on land where a car showroom destroyed in the Bradford riots once stood.

The nine houses, which have six or seven bedrooms and four bathrooms each, have been built on Bertram Road in Manningham, Bradford, on land previously occupied by the Lister Park BMW garage.

The homes, which are aimed at large multiple-generation families, are the first part of the Oak Lane Plaza.

The project also includes a multi-use building in Oak Lane, consisting of flats over shops and a restaurant.

The developer, Oak Lane Plaza Ltd, has also acquired a former nursing home in Welbury Drive, adjacent to Bertram Road, which will be turned into flats.

One of the directors of Oak Lane Plaza Ltd and design consultant Al Samarrie said it had been important to not leave the land derelict after the 2001 riots.

"We all live in Bradford so it's important for us to take the good side. Oak Lane is actually quite an important area in Bradford. It's full of huge, big houses with a traditional thriving community, so we were anxious that we wanted to do something good and not leave the site derelict because that actually gives a bad image to the city.

"We were aware that we wanted to do something impressive, something good for the benefit of the whole community, and really this was our starting point," he said.

He said the houses were aimed at large families and were reaching back to Victorian living.

"The whole concept behind it is to have large family homes for extended families really. We didn't want to provide two or three-bedroom houses where the family was segregated, we wanted to replicate Victorian times with houses on three floors with six or seven bedrooms.

"It's not just aimed at Asian families but you often do get large Asian families living together."

Mr Samarrie said about four of the homes had already been sold before completion, at prices above £275,000. A waiting list for the rest was being compiled.

The next phase of the development will start on Oak Lane.

Oak Lane Plaza will open the homes for viewing on Saturday from 10am to 2pm and Sunday at the same times. Telephone Saj on 07811 327810 to arrange a viewing.

e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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