Worried St. David's residents are calling for meetings with Salvation Army chiefs after plans for a drug rehabilitation centre at the former US Naval Air station were revealed.

The Salvation Army is bidding to build an addiction clinic at Southside -- the former US Base -- as part of a huge redevelopment scheme.

And the Bermuda Land Development Company is now considering the proposal.

The 30-year regeneration project, unveiled in October, involves building container docks, an enterprise park and leasing former officers' quarters as houses.

The BLDC is negotiating with a series of potential tenants who may want to develop on the site.

The Royal Gazette understands a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre could be built on the site of a former liquor warehouse behind the old McDonald's restaurant on Corregidor Avenue.

Nothing has been agreed yet and no contracts have been signed.

Divisional commander of the Salvation Army, Major Alfred Richardson, confirmed talks had already taken place.

He added that the Hamilton-based Harbour Light programme, which provides rehabilitation services for alcoholics and drug users, could eventually be relocated to St. David's.

"It is very early stages and we will meet with residents to address their concerns as soon as the BLDC arranges it,'' he said. "We haven't signed any leases and nothing has been decided.

"But if possible, we would very much like to open a facility on the site in St. David's.'' BLDC spokesman Don Grearson said: "We get a lot of proposals to use our property and the Salvation Army has requested the use of Southside.

"That is going to be subject to review by the company for its suitability and in terms of our own master development plan and our commercial objectives for the company.

"Before any final decision is taken, any proposal that we get along such lines is going to be thoroughly discussed with the public.

"That's standard practice here at the Bermuda Land Development Company.'' Former St. George's Mayor Henry Hayward, who represents local residents, said some people in St. David's had already expressed concerns about the rehabilitation centre.

He said: "We understand that one of the plans for the Base area is to have a drug rehabilitation centre there.

"We just want to know what's going on. We have had one meeting with the BLDC and we will continue to have further meetings just to keep in touch with what's developing.

"We are not sure ourselves yet what the plans are and we would like to be sure.'' One St. David's resident added: `There is a general consensus among local people that this proposal may cause problems.

"There are security issues because we do not believe it would be a secure facility.

"And it's a very isolated neighbourhood with not that many Police about so we would be concerned about people being sent here to recover from various addictions.'' MILITARY MIL