Language campaigners have welcomed a decision by council leaders in Cardiff to support a plan to give Welsh-only names to new streets in the capital.

Cardiff council’s cabinet is hoping the move will eventually mean there are as many Welsh street names as English ones in the city and bolster the language.

The council will also make sure existing signs on city centre streets will be in Welsh and English when they are upgraded.

However, existing street names in residential communities and suburbs of Cardiff will retain their current names.

Cardiff is not regarded as a traditional stronghold for the language, but the number of Welsh speakers in the capital has more than doubled over the past 40 years.

There are 17 primary schools and three secondary schools in the city educating 8,500 pupils in Welsh.

The policy, due to be put before the full council for final approval next month, says new streets should be given a Welsh name “consistent with the local heritage and history of the area”. It says the names of specific individuals may be used where there is a historical or legacy link.

More than 60% of people who took part in a consultation agreed with the proposal to work towards parity between Welsh street names and English ones, with the majority feeling the policy would have a positive effect on the Welsh language.

The Welsh Language Commissioner, Aled Roberts, said: “I congratulate Cardiff council on their new street naming policy. Place names can say a lot about an area’s history and heritage; and this policy in the capital shows the council, and indeed, the country’s commitment to promote the Welsh language.”

Mabli Siriol from the Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith said: “We welcome the council’s intention to name every new street in Welsh only. It would give a boost to the status and use of the language in the city. After all, the Welsh language belongs to everyone in Cardiff.”

Caro Wild, the cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, said: “Ensuring that the names of new streets in the city reflect local heritage and the Welsh language will assist our vision of developing Cardiff as a truly bilingual capital city.

“Adopting this policy will also see us joining other enlightened capitals around the world, like Wellington in New Zealand, who are embracing their own heritage by promoting the Māori language until it has parity with English.

“It’s very encouraging that the majority of people who took part in the consultation are in favour of these proposals. The Welsh language is intrinsically linked with the history of Cardiff over the centuries.

“By working towards parity between Welsh and English street names as the city continues to grow, we will ensure that Welsh history, culture and language remains an important part of the city’s identity.”