Councillors in East Renfrewshire have approved changes to the Local Development Plan that will allow 4100 homes built in various areas in the next 20 years. The areas will be revealed in December.
The number of homes allowed is a reduction on the initial numbers proposed. The indicated figure was originally 5700.
When the plan was first revealed it prompted storms of protest, with 95% of responses to a public consultation raising an objection.
But a council spokeswoman said: "Council unanimously agreed the recommendations.
"There was agreement across all parties that the proposed approach would afford the council full control over how it would reach its housing targets, established by the Greater Glasgow And Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan, and which would reduce the potential for external intervention from the Scottish Government.
"The Proposed Local Development Plan will be considered by council in the next few months."
The spokeswoman also said the plan would then be subject to a period of full public consultation.
A spokesman for Save The Greenbelt said: "The groups who have opposed the rape of the greenbelt are encouraged by this decision (to reduce the number of homes), but await with interest the detail of the report, its further consult- ation in December and early in 2013.
"This is not a victory yet, but the council's approach is to be welcomed and applauded, unless we find all the greenfield sites suddenly become allocated for housing in the new local plan."
In a separate decision, councillors have also agreed to sell a village playpark to make way for a housing development.
Residents at Waterfoot, near Eaglesham, have been battling plans from Cala, which wants to build 27 homes at Waterfoot.
More than 100 people living nearby objected to the plan, in part because it would mean the popular existing children's playpark would be removed.
But the council promised to replace the lost land with a new playpark.
East Renfrewshire Council leader Jim Fletcher said: "We have worked with Cala to negotiate a larger area of open space that will be transferred to the council's ownership and be available to be used as recreational space by the wider Waterfoot community."
ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk
