>developers had built right up to the river in places
I also run that route, and what you say isn't true. The stretch under discussion has had warehouses built up to the river's edge long before urban hipsters started writing Guardian articles. In fact, most of the developments you refer to are converted warehouses. This isn't something that has been "taken away" from the public. Of course, they could knock the buildings down and create better urban spaces, but that would probably piss off the NIMBY crowd as well, who would then start a campaign in the Guardian to get them heritage listed.
I also run that route, and what you say isn't true. The stretch under discussion has had warehouses built up to the river's edge long before urban hipsters started writing Guardian articles. In fact, most of the developments you refer to are converted warehouses. This isn't something that has been "taken away" from the public. Of course, they could knock the buildings down and create better urban spaces, but that would probably piss off the NIMBY crowd as well, who would then start a campaign in the Guardian to get them heritage listed.