FAST food-free zones and dementia-friendly designs could be included in Bicester’s eco-town development as part of plans to create a ‘healthy town’.

This week, NHS England announced Elmsbrook – the first 393 eco town homes in NW Bicester – as one of 10 major developments across the country to trial new ways for healthy living.

The health body wants to incorporate healthy living into the NW Bicester design with “walkable communities”, bus stops within 400m of each home and a school within 800m of each home.

John Knevett, chief executive of eco-town lead developers A2Dominion, said: “We are exceptionally proud to be part of Bicester’s Healthy New Town partnership and thrilled to be announced as one of 10 in the UK.

“The programme is a fantastic opportunity to expand on what we are pioneering at Elmsbrook and the health of our future residents has always been important to us. Elmsbrook provides homes to meet the changing needs of residents living in walkable communities, with bus stops within 400m and a school within 800m of every home.”

The development has also been praised for its inclusion of publicly available defibrillators and won the HeartSafe new build community national award last year.

The NHS initiative was originally announced in July last year in a bid to tackle the growing obesity crisis and attracted 114 applications.

The public health body said it had considered whether “adventure areas could be designed into streets to encourage walking and play” and “how far away are we from a town where more older people live independently and safely in their own home”.

Revealing more details, Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, highlighted that all households in the Bicester development will get a free tablet so they can check bus timetables, home energy usage and community information.

Bicester town councillor Les Sibley said: “It is important to protect our green spaces and that should be part of the development’s design.

“It needs to encourage walking which is important to healthy living, it doesn’t cost anything to walk. I do think developers should be taking less profit and creating more green space and gardens to give people that opportunity of leisure.

“It’s a great initiative and I think it’s a smart move to healthier living across the town.

“Hopefully it will encourage other developers to do the same for the rest of Bicester in line with the principles of a Garden Town.”

As part of the Garden Town announcement back in December 2014, Bicester is expected to build 13,000 new homes and create 21,500 new jobs.

The eco-town will provide 6,000 homes, with Elmsbrook comprising the first 393 homes.

Cherwell District Council’s director of operational delivery Ian Davies said: “It’s exciting for Bicester to be part of the Healthy New Towns programme.

“We are well on the way to encouraging healthier lifestyles within the local communities in an around Bicester, particularly at NW Bicester, which will be a catalyst for healthy living.”

The eco town is one of several major developments in Bicester, including the new Tesco superstore where work is ploughing ahead of opening on Thursday, April 14.

It is being built as part of the new business park off the A41 Oxford Road and is expected to bring 100 new jobs to the town.

The jobs will be put to prospective employees today and tomorrow at the Bicester Business Centre in Telford Road between 9am and 7pm.