DRUG addicts will remain a fixture in the main strip of Kings Cross with the controversial injecting room given permanent status by the Government.

In an overwhelming show of support in State Parliament yesterday, a Bill was passed allowing the centre to permanently remain in the red light district.

The legislation moves to the Upper House, which is expected to pass with Greens support.

But residents and shopkeepers are upset, saying Kings Cross will forever remain degraded by the injecting centre, which is a "honeypot" for addicts.

Local businessman Andrew Strauss told The Daily Telegraph lawyers were engaged for possible action against the Government.

"They have lied. They say the centre is wanted by businesses but it's not," he said.

"The addicts use the centre and then they don't leave. They sit outside and stay.

"It's unfair to residents, to the shopkeepers and to the school students who are forbidden to walk along Darlinghurst Rd."

The injecting room, which has been controversial since it opened in 2001, now has 12,000 registered addicts on its books.

NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell spoke out against the bill, saying that while the medically supervised centre had saved lives, it had failed to meet its goal of getting addicts off drugs.

Mr O'Farrell said the policy paid too much attention to managing drug habits and not to "rescuing people from their terrible addiction".

Opposition MPs were given a conscience vote, with seven voting in favour of the centre to stay.

Premier Kristina Keneally said the centre was saving lives and reducing disease risk.

Originally published as Drug injection room will stay