Controversial homes bids that objectors feared would swamp two Renfrewshire villages have been given a resounding thumbs down by the council after damning planning reports.

Councillors took just minutes to endorse the refusal recommendations, with no debate, after considering a detailed list of reasons why the schemes should not be approved.

The plan by Gladman Developments to build 270 new homes on a site in Brookfield Village would have doubled the size of the village, and attracted 121 letters of objection.

And a scheme by Wallace Land Developments to build 150 homes at Branscroft, near Kilbarchan Quarry, attracted 779 objections.

The Gladman plan would spawn more traffic, said the report, and was for green belt land rather than any of the numerous brownfield sites available in Renfrewshire.

Besides being detrimental to the local amenity there were also conservation issues to take into account – for example the area plays host to Canada Geese.

The scheme was judged to have failed a series of key planning tests relating to the area's strategic

development plan, and it was said it wouldn't contribute to the local economy.

The Kilbarchan plan also failed, in the report's view, on a large number of counts.

Overwhelmingly rejected by the local community it was also seen as failing key strategic planning criteria , and would “destroy the existing village envelope” if it went ahead.

There are 267 new homes being built at the former Merchiston Hospital and a further 201 new homes proposed for Barochan Road/Bridge of Weir Road.

Planners said: “With the new developments at Fordbank in Johnstone, at Scholar's Green in Johnstone, at Shillingworth at Bridge of Weir and Houston, the 267 houses already consented at Merchiston and the 201 houses proposed at Barbush Farm, the pressure on infrastructure will be immense.”

The report adds: “This over development of rural Renfrewshire threatens to obliterate the identity of all the rural villages in Renfrewshire.

Welcoming the plan's refusal, local councillor Derek Bibby said: “The decision to reject the proposal for a housing development at Branscroft is clearly the right one. “While I accept that there is a housing shortage that needs to be resolved, there is no justification for building this development that would change the identity of Kilbarchan as a conservation village, and have serious implications for the green belt, traffic management and the local primary school. “The overwhelming opinion of Kilbarchan folk reflected these and other concerns.”

He added: “No community can stand still and be immune to progress, however progress needs to be in the best interests of Kilbarchan.

“As a resident of the village for more than 30 years with an appreciation of its character and identity, I have no doubt that this proposal does not pass this test and is not in the best interests of the village.”

One of the objectors to the scheme was the firm behind another planning bid in nearby Bridge of Weir – where another green belt site is in the frame for potential development.

The report noted there were no plans to put any infrastructure in place for the development, that the nearest railway station – Millliken Park – was two miles away, and that the existing local school was too small to accommodate an influx of new pupils.

It was also noted the site was near a quarry that was still in use, and there were concerns about the effects on residents of noise and dust.