Both the council’s Labour and Green Party groups are supporting the Local Plan.
Labour said rejecting it could lead to new, higher housing targets being imposed that would require even more green belt land.
The Greens said the plan was essential to stop substandard planning applications, with the Liberal Democrats opposing it.
Once inspectors have completed their examination, they will publish a final report.
If they find the modified plan to be sound, councillors will then decide whether to adopt it.
Jo Tunstall, from the Sheffield Greenbelt Alliance, said campaigners believed the delay could only be positive.
“The number of consultations the plan has gone through is unprecedented, which we feel is a direct consequence of it being rushed, under-resourced and far from the level of quality our city deserves,” she said.
“We are now 19 months down the road and still the plan has not been found sound with yet another round of consultation underway.
“This continues to weigh heavy on the affected communities, but it also means we are keeping the bulldozers at bay from ripping up farmland, trees, hedgerows and wildlife habitats for longer.”
