THE Salvation Army is planning to erect a new $1.5 million building in Somerset, which will allow it to expand its services to the West End community.

Corps Officer Sharleen McTaggart said the plans were at an early stage and that planning permission had not yet been applied for.

But she added that the plans would be unveiled to the public at a meeting at the Salvation Army Church Hall on Cambridge Road, Somerset, next Tuesday. The meeting will start at 7.30 p.m.

"We presently have a church at our location and a big available space behind it," said Capt. McTaggart. "So we want to tear down the old building and the new building will be a church and community centre.

"The plans will soon be going to the Planning Department for approval, but we wanted the community to know first what we intend to do.

"We did a survey of the community and we have identified some big needs. Our divisional commander is interested in moving family services to Somerset, so we can offer them in St. George's, Somerset and Hamilton and people won't have to travel around so much."

The Salvation Army is well known for providing shelter for the homeless and Capt. McTaggart said the current facility at Somerset left much room for improvement.

"In our emergency shelter now, we don't have showers and it's not a big area so we have only limited space. In the new building we will have showers and much more room.

"We will also have a big activity hall which will enable us to offer a lot of services. At the moment we can't do a lot of couselling, but we hope to be able to do more of it.

"We want to be able to provide distribution of food and clothing to those who need it. But not only that, we also hope to have things like moms and tots programmes for the community as well as seniors programmes and youth programmes.

"That way we can help families deal with their immediate needs and discover ways they can become self-sufficient." She estimated the cost of the new building at $1.5 million and said there might be an appeal to raise funds towards that sum in the near future.

"It will be a sanctuary, but much more than that," added Capt. McTaggart. "We intend it to be there to be used as much as possible by the community."