The first stage of a controversial plan to transform the Earls Court area has been approved.

The borough’s planners gave the green light to an application for more than 800 homes to be built on the site of a car park in Seagrave Road on Thursday last week.

The proposal is part of a scheme to build amenities and homes in four ‘villages’ in the area, which could entail the demolition of Earls Court exhibition centre and the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates.

About 200 of the Seagrave Road homes would be for estate residents, if Hammersmith and Fulham Council sign an agreement with EC Properties to proceed with the rest of the Earls Court masterplan. A decision is due to be made after a public consultation ends next month.

Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith, is angry that permission was given for the Seagrave Road development ahead of the remainder of the masterplan.

He said: “It is scarcely credible that the council believes it appropriate to consider this application now rather than delay a relatively short time until the masterplan has been considered.”

Mr Slaughter also questioned whether the application had been rushed through before the election of a London mayor in May, and said the number of affordable homes in the development is too low.

The head of Capital and Counties Properties, parent company of EC Properties, was delighted with the approval.

Chief executive Ian Hawksworth said: “We are delighted by the council’s decision on Seagrave Road. It confirms our long-term view of the value which can be unlocked from Capco’s holdings in the area through a residential-led scheme. The site is an exciting opportunity to begin the transformation of the area.”

A group of estate residents are fighting the plans for demolishing homes on the estates because members fear the number of new homes promised by the council may not materialise for several years.

Last week they successfully lobbied the council to extend the consultation period until March 12.