St. George's residents are to petition Premier and local MP Jennifer Smith over plans for a mega church and rehab centre which they say will swamp the area with traffic and drug pushers.

Pastor Terence Stovell has applied to build a 5,000 square foot church on Barry Road which will seat up to 1,000 worshippers.

But residents are campaigning against the plan on the Cable and Wireless site which still houses antennas.

In a letter to planners one objector said: "There are eleven churches in St.

George's, excluding St. Davids and there is a church 1,000 yards away.'' And Barry Road resident Albert Brewster said: "I don't understand the need for a church that size when the majority of churches are only 40 to 50 percent full.'' And he questioned whether the worshippers who attend Pastor Stovell's sermons at Spice Valley Middle School will want to make the journey to St. George's.

Asked why he needed such a big church Pastor Stovell said: "Our membership is fairly large and it is growing.

"Our desire is to build for the prospect of further change.'' He said his non-denominational Christian services at Spice Valley attracted 350 worshippers.

But he added he was reluctant to discuss the plans further until he had seen the objections.

Neighbour Edward Benevides wrote to planners saying that Pastor Stovell was planning a drug rehab programme which Mr. Benevides said would upset nearby families.

He said: "We do not believe they are best served by having to deal with the activities generated by this type of programme.'' He said the nearby Woodshop programme had led to increased break-ins. He went on: "The location of a number of persons who would be tempted to go back to their previous lifestyles is an open market drawing those who would be tempted to provide the drugs.'' Residents protest planned church In his letter Mr. Benevides said increased violence would also result from an influx of pushers and he called on the land to be used as zoned woodland for children to enjoy.

And Mr. Brewster told The Royal Gazette last night that campaigners had already signed up 70 objectors and more names would be sought before the completed petition was presented to St. George's MPs Jennifer Smith and Delaey Robinson on Saturday.

Mr. Brewster said: "Cable and Wireless wanted to put up houses there but were turned down because the road would not be able to handle the traffic.

"Why put this church right in the middle of a residential area? St. George's has enough congestion already without this.''