"So much potential to revitalise that area of the city" - Nearly 1,000 back MP's call to fix unsafe Knight and Lee building
Residents say the disused Knight and Lee site poses safety risks and attracts crime, as almost 1,000 back MP Stephen Morgan’s plea for action.
In less than two weeks, nearly 1,000 people, including community leaders and local businesses, have signed Mr Morgan’s open letter to developers THAT Group, urging them to speed up plans for the former department store site.
The Portsmouth South MP said he was “pleased, but also not surprised” by the response.
“The Knight and Lee redevelopment has so much potential to revitalise that area of the city, but has been stalled for too long,” Mr Morgan said.
“I hope those with the power to act see how much this means to local people and businesses, and engage with us to drive this project forward for the good of Portsmouth.”
Local frustration has been growing over the lack of visible progress since THAT Group secured planning permission in 2022 for a 43-bedroom hotel, two cinemas, offices, a gym, retail and food venues, and an indoor market.
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Jacqueline Ford from Southsea said residents were fed up with the inaction.
“As I’m sure a number of residents of Southsea join me in the frustration that nothing appears to be happening with the old K&L building.
“Surely the council should be able to serve them with some sort of notice to resolve this situation.”
Others raised safety concerns about the state of the site.
David C, also from Southsea, said the delay had led to “vandalism, smashed windows, illegal trespassing and adolescent children on the roof”.
“The lift shaft is a hollow shell meaning that it is a death trap for anyone in there at night,” he added.
“The side of the building leading onto the pedestrian lane has become a haven for drug use and drug dealing to the extent that some female residents feel unsafe using the lane.”
The building, one of only two John Lewis stores in the UK to retain its original name, was first opened in 1865 and taken over by the John Lewis Partnership in 1933. It closed in July 2019 after more than 150 years of trading.