City centre boarded up as Fusion Student block Portsmouth never built

The site, between 12 and 28 Arundel Street in Portsmouth, was closed off to make way for a student housing scheme approved in 2021 and led by Fusion Students.

As a result of the approval, shops were boarded up ready for their demolition which never came. 

Arundel Street in Portsmouth (Image: Google)

Lee Hobson, who used to run Comic Book XS on number 26, said: “It’s a shame as we could all still be in there.

“But the shops have been gutted, even the stairs have been removed.

“It would have been nice if the owners just bulldozed the shops, then at least we wouldn’t be thinking ‘what if’.”

The proposal included a part seven, part 21, and part 28-storey block providing 591 student beds and four ground floor shops.

Traders on the street have also raised concerns for how the now boarded-up shops affect the look of the road and the number of visitors the street receives.

A spokesperson for Portsmouth City Council confirmed that planning permission has for the site has now expired and will need to be resubmitted.

Victoria Simpson, of nearby clothing store Port Maid, said the inactivity has been disappointing for traders and the community.

She said: "We’ve been so excited that something hopefully was in the pipeline to get this up and running again."

In 2020, Fusion Students said the development would be completed in 2024, but the company has since declined to comment or provide an update on its future plans for the site.

Fusion currently operates student housing in cities including London, York, Nottingham, Leeds, and Manchester but Portsmouth is not mentioned on Fusion’s website.

Fusion Students declined to comment regarding their intentions for the site and did not provide any background information.