CALLS have been made to use a landmark Southampton building as a major location to improve leisure, culture and education in the city.

A Bargate councillor has suggested that the former Debenhams store on Queensway be used for something other than housing to improve the city’s facilities.

Labour councillor Sarah Bogle has suggested that the location should be used for leisure, culture or education.

But when asked about the council’s plans for the site, leader Dan Fitzhenry declined to specify exactly what it could be used for.

Daily Echo: Debenhams on Queens Way Southampton

Cllr Bogle told the Daily Echo: “I hope that we can retain and repurpose this building - particularly the corner frontage - as is quite a key landmark, purpose built in 1959 for Edwin Jones.

“I expect the most likely interest from developers will be for residential use but I think as it’s such a major location it could work for other uses that improve the city’s facilities in leisure, culture or education.”

The store closed during the summer last year after the chain fell into administration.

The store, in Queensway in the city centre, had 106 staff.

Debenhams closed its remaining stores in May this year. The brand is available online only now after being bought by retailer Boohoo.

Daily Echo:

Aerial of Edwin Jones department store (now Debenhams) being constructed in Southampton City Centre. Hampshire Heritage.

The Southampton store can trace its history to 1860, when the haberdashery Edwin Jones set up on the site. It was extended to create Queen’s Buildings 20 years later.

The store became part of the Debenhams group in 1928. It was destroyed in the Blitz and replaced by the current building in 1959.

Councillor Daniel Fitzhenry, leader of Southampton City Council, said: “We are incredibly ambitious for our city, our businesses and our people.

“The Debenhams site is a key city centre site which could deliver significant investment and growth together with new jobs in the city.

“As part of developing the new Southampton City Vision Local Plan we are currently conducting a Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) to assess the development potential of a whole host of sites across the city. The results of this study will help inform our site allocations for the new plan.

“The Debenhams site is on this list and will be considered within the local plan for a range of different uses.”