A war of petitions has erupted over plans for a rehabilitation safe house for former alcoholics and drug addicts on South Shore Road, Southampton.

More than 425 people have expressed their support for Kenneth Matthew's 'recovery sober safe house', in response to up to 40 letters of objection from residents.

Mr. Matthew wants to provide a stepping stone for the reassimilation of former substance abusers back into society and has set out a "stringent" set of rules for the Trust Recovery Safe House.

Neighbours however, are concerned about the "potential for violence", noise and anti-social behaviour, as well as traffic congestion and falling property values.

Residents have sent dozens of letters to the Planning Department, objecting to Mr. Matthew's proposed change of use of 15 South Road from a residential property into a 'recovery sober safe house'.

The neighbours say they met Mr. Matthew in November, shortly after he submitted his Planning application, but that it did not provide "sufficient assurance that our neighbourhood, children and visitors would be safe".

Christopher and Christine Wetherhill also raised the issue of a lack of Government funding for the project, saying: "Mr. Matthew can walk away from the project without any responsibility or recourse, leaving behind him an unsupervised, uncontrolled, potentially disastrous, confrontation situation."

But lawyer Rick Woolridge Jr., of Peniston and Associates, has accused some residents of "boogieman scare tactics".

Acting on Mr. Matthew's behalf, he has sent a letter to Planning, stressing that those entering the safe house will already be 'clean', having "successfully completed earlier step programmes in or through other facilities", such as Camp Spirit or Harbour Lights.

Mr. Woolridge said: "The perception appears to be one of a home where there will be a slew of people who 'don't look like the neighbours' lying around strung out on drugs and looking for a home to burgle."

Mr. Matthew has also received several other letters of support. Naomi Fox of the Physical Abuse Centre, where he runs 'Trust Recovery' workshops and seminars, said: "We firmly believe this programme is helping to rid Bermuda of the abuse of illegal drugs, and the over-indulgence of alcohol, one life at a time."

Gwen Paiva of Hamilton said: "I can assure you (the safe house) will be run with the strictest of rules and with the highest consideration for all the surrounding neighbours. It is a huge plus for Bermuda to at last have a safe house of this calibre to serve its recovering addicts in a quiet environment."

More than 425 members of the public have also signed a petition in support of the Trust Recovery Safe House, which will house up to eight people. It states: "The time for action is now. Our Island needs this facility run by a person who fully understands the needs of the residents, with the qualifications to assist with the re-assimilation of the residents into our society."

Mr. Matthew has set out strict rules and regulations for the occupants, who will have to secure a job or enrol in education within 30 days and then pay a monthly rent. Residents must also comply with a 30-day probation period and sign a House contract. They must be 'sober' on entry and take part in random urine tests, as well as following an 11 p.m. curfew. Possession of drugs, alcohol or weapons, or "disruptive behaviour" will result in "immediate dismissal".

Mr. Matthew is a former volunteer at Focus Counselling Services and is a Certified Allied Addiction Practitioner and Associate Counsellor of Alcohol and Drugs as certified by the Bermuda Addiction Certification Board.

In a letter dated February 1 however, Caron Assan, Director of the Department of National Drug Control, questions his qualifications. The letter to Christine Rickards, Senior Development Control Officer at the Planning Department, says: "On discussion with Mr. Matthew to ascertain his professional competence to operate a facility of this nature and provide treatment, it was observed that he neither possesses the academic qualifications nor the professional competence to provide treatment to persons addicted to substances.

"Mr. Matthew now desires to operate a safe house which will provide a safe place for male persons in recovery, and he's stated that he 'realises under our current credentials that the provision of treatment would not be one of the services that we could lawfully provide'."

Ms Assan adds: "Further to this, there is concern for the safety of the residents in the area as there does not appear to be sufficient safety measures in the programme to mitigate potential risks to the residents.

"In the discussions with Mr. Matthew I also made it clear that the Ministry for Culture and Social Rehabilitation and in particular, the Department for National Drug Control would not endorse the venture financially."

Last night however, Mr. Matthew told The Royal Gazette: "To do what I'm doing, there are no set qualifications ¿ nothing set in stone at this particular time, and so I am entitled to do this.

"This is a first class facility and so I am hopeful the Planning permission will happen. There are bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen and everything which you could possibly want.

"This is all about 'not in my backyard', but this is ridiculous because Bermuda is just one big community and this facility meets a great need on the Island."

Mr. Matthew founded Trust Recovery five years ago to assist in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. In a letter to Planning in support of his application, he says the safe house will constitute "a vital and viable part of Bermuda's effort to combat the plague of drugs in our society". The facility will provide a safe environment in which to "secure employment, heal relationships, build self-esteem, and ultimately become productive citizens in our community".