The £1bn scheme, proposed by Project blue, the joint venture between Qatari Diar and Christian Candy's CPC, went before the planning and development committee for the first time last night for a steer over the proposed designs.

The scheme will include building hundreds of high-priced flats, as well as "affordable housing", a £40m community sports centre, complete with six-lane swimming pool, sports hall, climbing wall and dance studio.

A meeting of the council's planning committee said the proposals "had the makings of an acceptable scheme". It is the first verdict on the proposals and comes after opposition from some Belgravia residents.

These included the Belgravia Residents' Association and the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Estate. However, only two members of the committee-agreed that the basic design was unacceptable, with one likening the "affordable" section to Sixties housing estates.

A series of changes to the plan are set to be made to meet the committee's requirements before a formal decision can be made.

It is thought some buildings may be reduced in size, while some mature trees have to be protected. The developers were also told that private flats might not be allowed to be air-conditioned.