Fulham Social Tenant Fights to Save His Riverview
Carnwath Road resident unhappy at being moved to new development
David McGinty on the balcony of his flat
June 9, 2025
A social tenant living in a riverside flat in Fulham has claimed he and his neighbours are being shifted to “a shoebox with the poor doors” as their flats face being demolished to make way for new housing.
Residents on Carnwath Road, by Wandsworth Bridge Road, are in the middle of a building site as work progresses on a major development on the former Hurlingham Retail Park.
Led by developer Rockwell, the scheme will deliver 269 flats alongside a range of amenities from food and drink spaces to new public realm.
Under the plans, 1-3 Carnwath Road are to be demolished with tenants living in the blocks offered flats within the new development. 5 Carnwath Road residents are also to be relocated.
Co-op Homes, the landlord of the existing tenants, has previously said the majority of residents are supportive of the scheme and have agreed to move.
Not all however have proven so willing. MyLondon reported in 2014, when plans were initially approved, that several residents said they did not wish to move and claimed the development would cause great disruption to the community.
More than 10 years on, the shells of the high-rise blocks surrounding the social homes are up, and the site is active with builders and the clanging of their work.
David McGinty, 67, has lived at One Carnwath Road for around 26 years. He feels part of the tight-knit community and is a voluntary carer for two other elderly residents.
Mr McGinty, who has ADHD and previous experience with anxiety and depression, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he has faced issues with Co-op aside from the development including over the use of a roof garden.
Construction activity on the site of the new flats has caused Mr McGinty's flat to shake
He has also spoken publicly about the disruption caused by construction on the Thames Tideway ‘super sewer’, which runs beside his property and he has labelled the “turd runway”.
The works being progressed around him now are however his most pressing concern, and it is a fight he has been engaged in since the original proposal was approved by the council more than a decade ago. Since then, the plans have changed slightly and the initial backers, Royal London Asset management and London Newcastle, pulled out to be replaced by Rockwell.
Mr McGinty claimed the project has proceeded with limited consultation and that work on the site, which began in 2023, has turned into a “nightmare”.
He said builders start work early in the morning, drilling and making noise to such an extent that his home would sometimes shake.
New flats tower over Mr McGinty's flat
Mr McGinty has argued the residents’ assured tenancies should protect them from having to be relocated and that Co-op is looking to move them to smaller properties which are not appropriate replacements.
“The thing that really galls me is how stupid they think we are,” he told the LDRS. “‘Oh they’re just oiks, they’re old, disabled oiks, and they don’t deserve this. So we’re not going to give them any kind of compensation apart from the legal minimum and we’re going to punt them into a shoebox with the poor doors at the back of the development’, so all of the luxury flats will literally be looking down on us.”
Mr McGinty went so far as to write to the United Nations in 2023 claiming the development infringed the residents’ rights.
In letters seen by the LDRS, the UN wrote to the UK Government, Co-op Homes and Rockwell raising concerns about the impact on the tenants’ livelihoods and requesting clarification on the points raised.
Mr McGinty said, “I feel angry and frustrated that this has been going on. My concern is if they get away with this that anyone with an assured tenancy can tear it up because it’s not worth anything. An assured tenancy is supposed to be that the landlord has protected your right to be there and your peaceful enjoyment. Instead, ours reneged very thoroughly on that agreement and went against it.”
Co-op is taking Mr McGinty to court on 13 June when it will ask for an Outright Possession Order (OPO) on the understanding it will not be enforced unless he refuses to move to a new two-bed property. He said he has been unable to find anyone to represent him and is not looking forward to proceedings.
While his concern grows as the court hearing gets closer, Mr McGinty said the love he has for his home makes it worth fighting for.
“Being here really helped me; really helped my mental health. I was a community bus driver for a long time and getting back here and watching things like the cormorants and things over years, you develop a sense of being part of nature here.”
A spokesperson for Co-op Homes South said the provider continues to engage with all of its residents by the development, inviting everyone to 13 meetings plus a recent one-to-one meeting with Mr McGinty.
They acknowledged there has been some disruption for residents, though that alternative accommodation has been offered during the construction period.
“All residents will be offered a brand-new home in the new development on the same site as their current accommodation,” they continued. “This inevitably means a different configuration, however the property will, as a minimum, have the same number of bedrooms and will be charged at the same rent as their old home.
“In addition to the ongoing support and advice provided by Co-op Homes South to all residents, there has been an independent housing advisor appointed to work directly with residents. With regards to correspondence received from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), we responded in detail, and they took no further action.
“Legal proceedings are under way, which will allow the court to decide on the suitability of the alternative accommodation, and we hope that Mr McGinty will take up this offer when the time comes. In the meantime, we are happy to provide any support needed.”
A spokesperson for Rockwell said, “Since acquiring the site in February 2022 there has been extensive engagement with the Co-op housing tenants, the majority of which has been positive. As part of the development, all existing Co-op residents will be provided with a new home on site and offered assistance to move into their new property. This is welcomed by the vast majority of residents.
“In terms of assessing the impact of the development on the existing residential flats, an independent party wall surveyor representing the Co-op tenants approved the proposed works in November 2022, concluding that the structural integrity of their properties would not be affected. Throughout the development, no insulation has been removed and the works have been undertaken in accordance with the approved scope.
“The construction has been planned to minimise disruption to residents as far as possible, and Rockwell is providing the option of alternative accommodation in the local area to residents who do not wish to remain in their properties throughout the works. An independent legal advisor has also been made available to tenants to support them during this process. For Rockwell, resident safety and wellbeing is, and always will be, our number one priority.
“With regards to correspondence received from the OHCHR, Rockwell submitted a full response in May 2023 with no further correspondence since that date; therefore, we consider this matter closed.”
Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter