A plan to bring 55,000 new homes to south Warwickshire will go forward to a national inspector having survived vehement criticism and a last-ditch call to take out a problem site.

Warwick District Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council both voted to progress the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) to Regulation 19 consultation after four-hour debates at each authority on Wednesday.

It means it will be submitted to a planning inspector for approval, but support was far from unanimous.

Next will be another stage of public consultation but unlike past feedback, this is now focused on whether the plan is sound and can be delivered as opposed to laying out preferences over particular sites.

Those fighting to save areas from development will have to curate their arguments over whether the homes can realistically be delivered there as opposed to arguing that they are not wanted.

The administrations running the councils – the Green-Labour coalition at Warwick and the Liberal Democrats at Stratford – again laid out difficult circumstances.

New government rules have saddled the region with finding the land for many more homes than when the plan-making process started in 2021 and neither area has a five-year housing land supply, handing more scope to developers to gain permission on land not allocated for housing.

The sooner this plan kicks in, the sooner that will be addressed and having a plan – albeit one with levels of housing that none of the councillors want – means the councils can insist on developers funding infrastructure.

The plan must be submitted by December 31 if it is to be considered under current national rules and missing the deadline and having to adjust to a new framework could add years to the process.

Opponents say that has led to elements of the plan being rushed at the 11th hour and that some are likely to get kicked out by an inspector, sending the councils back to the drawing board anyway.

The case was also made that no plan carries similar, if not less, risk than going with a plan with flaws like viability concerns.

Stratford held its debate and vote in the afternoon with the Conservative opposition bringing forward four amendments, the most meaningful being the withdrawal of 2,200 homes for Bidford-on-Avon.

Cllr Daren Pemberton estimated £90 million would be needed for two new schools and an extra bridge over the River Avon to handle the extra traffic, declaring that unviable.

His argument gained blanket support from his 10 Tories, three Green councillors and Reform UK. Both independents abstained – didn't vote either way – and the cause was lost with all 19 Lib Dems voting against.

Deputy leader Cllr George Cowcher insisted it was "not a time for freelancing" and said: "We could all stand up and make our own pleas about taking our site out of it.

"Special pleading is not appropriate at this stage, we are putting forward an overall plan to address the needs of South Warwickshire."

Cllr Pemberton replied: "Absolutely, it is special pleading because you are adding such an additional risk factor by trying to suggest you are going to get infrastructure that has no chance of being developed in the context of a plan that says this cannot be delivered without that infrastructure.

"It is wrong to do it."

The existing joint-cabinet recommendations were then debated with all 19 Lib Dems present standing by the plan.

That was enough to win the votes with 35 councillors present but there was some support from elsewhere.

The Tories were split with newly-elected Cllr Janine Lee, Cllr Ian Shenton and Cllr Linda Organ joining Green Cllr Dave Passingham and independent Cllr Trevor Harvey in saying yes on balance, despite having raised their reservations.

Reform UK's Cllr Ashley Jones voted against on all fronts, as did independent Cllr Tony Bromwich.

The arguments were similar and just as vociferous in Warwick District Council's debate and although three Green backbenchers – Cllr Dominic Harrison, Cllr Alison Firth and Cllr Kyn Aizlewood – could not back the plan, it passed by 21 votes to 15 with two abstentions.

Cllr Harrison abstained having declared he could not put his name to a plan that had such an impact on Hatton, where 4,000 homes are planned.

Cllr Andrew Day, leader of the council when this process started, was the only member of his group to support the plan on the basis that local decision-makers had at least been involved.

He asked: "Who is going to design our communities? Is it going to be local people or Westminster?

"If we stop now and don't go to consultation because it is not perfect, what will happen? Have you seen what the new (national rules) are going to bring? Less local control, more demands that best suit developers, lower environmental standards.

"Sit on your hands by all means but that is what you'll get. Or do you want to stay in the fight?"

Each of the Liberal Democrats and the rest of the Tories voted against but the rest of the Greens, all Labour councillors and the independents representing Whitnash and Warwick backed going ahead.