Meet the last social tenants left on a west London redevelopment site

Plans for 239 homes and shops on the site were approved by Hammersmith & Fulham Council in 2014. 

The developer at the time, Londonewcastle, was granted further planning approval in 30 more homes, 11 of which will be affordable. 

Property developer Rockwell acquired the site and permission in 2022 and started work over the summer.  

The majority of the site, save the eight social homes on the river and another block around the corner by a car park, has been demolished.

It used to be home to a Currys PC World, the wall of which was attached to the row of social homes. 

David McGinty, a resident for more than 20 years, says it is “terrifying” living by the site.

“I’ve had depression and anxiety because of all this hanging over our heads,” he says.

Videos he took when work was ongoing right beside their homes recorded an extremely high level of noise.

He criticised the lack of communication and plans to put social tenants away from the river and by a busy, “polluted” road.

“I just feel so bitterly let down,” he says. Mr McGinty cares for his older neighbour Colin, and says he “won’t go anywhere” until he knows he is “safe and happy”.

Colin, who is nearly 80 and lives with dementia and is recovering from cancer, says: “You see the conditions we’re living in. When they were demolishing everything, half the time you were expecting something to come through the wall.”

Dee Glover, who has diabetes and is disabled, says the stress of the situation has impacted her health.

“I’m really having serious problems with my sugar levels at the moment because of all the stress we’re going through.  Your sugar level should not go any higher than 10 in the morning when you do your test, but mine has been up to like nearly 23.3.

“All this is really stressing me out – it’s not helping my diabetes, it’s not helping me get any sleep. I’m struggling, to be honest.”

Ms Glover says she keeps getting emails from her housing officer with offers of unsuitable accommodation. 

“They’re not suitable for my disability because I can’t climb stairs.

“We were told that we were gonna get like for like, so I assumed that I was going to get a two-bedroom property overlooking the river. 

“But apparently, from what I can gather, we’re going to be shoved in a little corner on Carnwath Road and Wandsworth Bridge, opposite a pub in the most polluted area possible with no river view,” she says. 

Ms Glover says she is nearly 70 and does not have the energy to move twice. 

She says she will only move into a property that is suitable for her needs. The new development is not expected to be completed for at least another two years. 

“They can’t just push us out. Because it’s not us wanting to move, they are the ones that want us to get out,” Ms Glover says.