Government is set to move forward on construction of a new $9-million residential treatment centre for troubled youths.

Designs were submitted to the Planning department last week for the Pathways Youth Village in Devonshire.

The plans were developed by Works and Engineering on behalf of the Health and Family Services Ministry.

The proposed facility will be located on a 359,803 square-foot lot across from the Tynes Bay incinerator on Aeolia Drive.

It is intended to house up to 48 children and will have a high risk security area as well as a more open treatment area.

Government committed to building a new home for troubled youngsters in the 2001 Budget in order to address security concerns at the youth homes currently operating and to avoid the need to send children with severe problems off Island for treatment.

The hope is to have the new facility open by 2004.

The proposed lot contains large tracts of woodland, woodland reserve and open space and the plans submitted would see a number of existing structures on the property converted and 34,000 square-feet added to a derelict building on the site to create the main residential area.

The plans indicate there will be a girls' wing and a boys' wing with each containing both high risk units and lower-security treatment units.

Each of the four unit will house eight bedrooms.

In addition to the residential support, the new facility will house counselling offices, a library, exercise rooms, a chapel, conference and training facility and classrooms.

The plans also call for a gymnasium to be built alongside the main building.