A good chunk of the people complaining about these developers are just diametrically against anything, other than status quo.
Manor Park is the best example of this..
http://www.lfpress.com/2013/05/01/bu...-such-projects
Here the project had some concerns from neighbours. The developer listened, made constructive changes and submitted an altered plan, taking these concerns and incorporating them in a new design in
one week flat. Yet still people complain, saying garbage like riff raff or "undesirables" will flood the area and plummet property values. They just don't want anything to happen.
IMO seems many of these community associations like SoHo, Woodfield and unassociated ones like Blackfriars are opposed to any changes, regardless of how progressive they area. The main issue these areas are near the core, and are good candidates for infill and intensification developments. Areas like this could make the core more desirable and livable. Instead these areas want no changes, rather spurn potential developments for no improvements for "heritage", property values and other frivolous concerns.
Really just NIMBYism in areas of London that need a new way of thinking and new ideas to bring positive change!