Plans to build 12,400 homes in Teignbridge in the next 20 years have been given the green light with Teignbridge Council adopting its Local Plan.
The planning blueprint maps out how jobs, homes, including affordable , community facilities, roads, country parks will be provided to meet local needs in the next 20 years.
Voting to go forward with the blueprint, called Plan Teignbridge: 27 councillors voted for, four against and eight councillors abstained.
Council leader Jeremy Christophers said neighbourhood plans couldn't move forward without a local plan in place.
"We need to remind ourselves that every political party is saying we need more housing. Getting the right housing for the district is vital," he said.
But Cllr Gordon Hook said before voting that he was stuck 'between a rock and a hard place' as he said he didn't think that the views of residents had been listened to but realised a local plan was vital to safeguarding development.
Cllr Mike Hocking also said it was a difficult decision to make. "If we vote against the plan, where does it leave us?" he questioned. "It leaves us open to development. If I vote for it I'm going against the residents in my ward."
Cllr Kelvyn Shantry opposed the plan and said a planning inspector had dismissed the 'factual planning arguments that were submitted and presented at the inquiry against the local plan'. He said he believes at most 10,000 homes are needed.
He said the council has predicted a population growth of 34,000 in their plan which he believes is flawed.
"The actual growth in Teignbridge was just over 3,000 in the past 10 years as measured by the census," said Cllr Shantry.
But Cllr Humphrey Clemens said voting against it would be 'wreckless' , while Cllr Mike Haines said the plan was a long time coming and that it would stop developers 'cherry picking' land like they have in the past.
After the meeting, Cllr Alan Connett, leader of the opposition Lib Dems, claimed: "This is a developers' charter which will see greenfields gobbled up and does not generate enough money for the much-needed infrastructure.
"There's also a cap on much-needed affordable housing which will see, at best, three homes in 10 for local people and families in housing need."
Plan Teignbridge seeks to provide:
12,400 homes including affordable homes, self build and open market
70 hectares of land for employment use
11,000m2 of shopping space in Newton Abbot
more cycle routes and other green transport options
improved environment and wildlife habitat protections for bats (including the rare greater horseshoe bats), dormice and slow worms
keep green spaces — known as Undeveloped Coast — between coastal communities.
