Green light on revised plans for Southsea's Knight and Lee building

By Sam Pither

12 August 2022

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Updated plans for the redevelopment of Southsea’s Knight and Lee Department Store have been given the go-ahead by Portsmouth City Council.

Planning permission was originally approved on the site in 2019 for a mixed-use development with retail, café, bars, a 43-bedroom hotel, gym, cinema and offices.

However, following the impact of the pandemic and the decision by English Heritage to give the building Grade-II listed status, project developers, THAT group, put forward new plans in March of this year. These include a ground floor food court and an additional 24 hotel rooms.

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Speaking to the council’s planning committee, Peter Tisdale, chief executive of THAT group, said: “In the past couple of years it's been pretty tough to get schemes off the ground, but with Knight and Lee that's not the case.

“After Covid-19 hit we began to review the planning permission that we had, and there were many discussions about what would make a successful development moving forward.

“Currently there is nothing comparable in the surrounding area.

"We are committed to this scheme and are very excited to finally bring it to life, That Group is enthusiastic about what this will bring to Southsea and hope people will enjoy coming here.”

Formerly home to John Lewis, the Knight and Lee building closed in 2019. Its historical significance derives from its demolition during the Second World War and subsequent rebuild during the 1950s.

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.