The enormous development project in Nine Elms was granted 'outline planning consent' in 2011. The new application provides a detailed specification for the first stage of the development.

Leader of Wandsworth Council and co-chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership Ravi Govindia said:

"The new owners picked up the keys just two months ago so it's very encouraging to see the project moving ahead so quickly. This site is vital to the regeneration of the wider Nine Elms on the South Bank area and in particular the Northern Line Extension.

"Our planning team has started to go through the application documents in detail and is writing to local stakeholder to ask for their views."

The application covers the details of the scale of the buildings and structures, the external appearance and the landscaping within Phase 1.

A linked application has also been received covering the internal configuration of the residential units, parking and servicing, as well as sustainability, energy and waste strategies.

Phase 1 consists of two buildings of varied heights between 8 and 18 storeys. They will be built to the west of the power station building on land which is currently vacant.

It would provide 800 homes, a hotel and space for cafes, restaurants, bars, a gym, pool, spa, theatre and office studios.

A new six-acre public park would form the setting for the new buildings.

A Malaysian consortium of S P Setia, Sime Darby and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), completed the purchase of the iconic site earlier this year.

The new owners are implementing the approved masterplan for the 39-acre power station plot which includes the complete regeneration of the listed power station, the largest brick building in Europe and one of the most significant surviving examples of Art Deco architecture.

The masterplan covers a full mixed-use redevelopment including new homes, offices, shops, restaurants and hotels as well as community, cultural and leisure facilities and have been agreed by English Heritage and Design Council CABE.

For local people and visitors the development will mean better transport access and a wide range of shops and amenities including a health centre and riverside park. The consortium has also committed to supporting construction of the proposed extension to the Northern Line into the Nine Elms area.