A shopkeeper has pledged to step up the fight to keep pavement displays outside city centre premises because he believes international consultants have added weight to the campaign.

The first design guide for the city - launched last week - says buildings should "spill their activities onto the streets" to make them more animated.

The consultants, Urbed, were commissioned by Bradford Council and Bradford Centre Regeneration to produce the 90-page guide which is now out for public consultation.

The document, a yardstick for future planning applications, says there should be street cafes and all new and refurbished public spaces should contain opportunities for events and performances.

Urbed says activities in many town and city centres have been concealed inside buildings which makes the streets seem deserted and dead.

It adds: "It is therefore important that the design of buildings allow the activity within to animate the surrounding streets and spaces."

A major row blew up in the city last year when traders were told they could no longer display goods on pavements outside shops. The traders were told disabled people and shoppers with pushchairs were having problems.

But the proprietor of James Street Florists, John Hardaker, gave the Council a petition signed by 2,500 people who said the ban should not be imposed.

Tariq Ahmed, chairman of the Bradford Association for the Visually Impaired, also submitted a 700 name petition against the displays.

The Council's executive committee decided to ban street displays from this October after considering both sides.

But Mr Hardaker said today he would consider the contents of the design guide and expected to re-launch the campaign.

He added: "It appears to up not just my argument but the views of 2,500 people. I will be looking at the report and contacting the Council."

Bradford Council's executive member for environment, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, said: "There are ways of doing it through licensing.

"We do want active streets. But it has to be done in a rational way."

l The guide covers all aspects of design and environment in the city centre and introduces the four neighbourhoods in the masterplan drawn up by architect Will Alsop.