Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan is calling for fellow resident and local businesses to back his campaign calling for progress on the Knight and Lee redevelopment.
Local people can show their support for Mr Morgan’s campaign by signing an open letter to developers THAT Group which calls on them to speed up its plans for redevelopment and construction.
You can show your support by signing the open letter here.
THAT Group secured planning permission in 2022 to transform the former Knight and Lee site on Palmerston Road into a 43-bedroom hotel, two cinemas, offices, a gym, shops, food and drink venues, and an indoor food market.
Since final approval was granted, however, little progress has been made, despite earlier reports that the city council might take over the site.
The city council took seven months to respond to constituent enquiries from Mr Morgan’s office, whilst the city MP has made repeated steps to contact the developer for a meeting to discuss progress.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Like me, I know Portsmouth people are growing increasingly frustrated with ongoing delays to the redevelopment of the former Knight & Lee building.
“The site holds significant importance to the identity of Southsea and its local economy, and it has long gone past time that we saw progress on the site to breathe new life into Palmerston Road.
“I hope local people and traders will back me in calling on the developer to speed up their plans so we can see this jewel in Southsea’s crown restored to our high streets.”
Mr Morgan organises and chairs a regular local forum with businesses in the Palmerston Road area, using the forum to ensure improvements in community safety and public realm.
Actions from the most recent forum included writing to developers THAT Group to speed up progress on the Knight and Lee building redevelopment.
The Knight and Lee department store, one of just two John Lewis shops in the UK to keep its original name, was the first the retailer had closed since 2006.
Originally opened in Southsea in 1865, it was taken over by the John Lewis Partnership in 1933 and closed on 13 July 2019 after more than 150 years of trading.
