A DRUG rehabilitation centre for needle exchange and advice is being planned in the heart of Great Malvern.

Worcestershire Substance Misuse Action Team (SMAT), a partnership between county council, police, health service and other bodies, wants to open the centre in first-floor premises at 109 Church Street, just east of the Graham Road junction.

Turning Point Worcester Druglink, which is working with SMAT, has sent in a planning application to Malvern Hills District Council.

But it has been criticised by Robin Elt, chairman of Great Malvern Association of Trade.

He said: "The drug problem is something that needs to be dealt with, but not in a town centre location.

"There must be plenty of other more suitable sites. The Malverns Experience is trying to promote the town centre as a more upmarket place, and this is not going to help."

Mark Ball, of Mark Ball Estate Agents, a near neighbour to the application site, said: "I think this is very inappropriate in the town centre. Maybe it would be better off located at a doctor's surgery, where professional assistance is on hand.

"Clearly there's a need for centres like this, but it's not in the right place, especially at a time when local organisations, including the local authority, are trying to promote Malvern's town centre.

"Rightly or wrongly, people will perceive it as a problem and will be put off from coming to the town centre."

Phil Deakin, SMAT co-ordinator, said: "We're developing this facility to address concerns that Malvern is not as well-served as other parts of the county when it comes to tackling drug misuse. We did look at a number of other sites and this was the best that was available.

"However, we're more than happy to work with Mr Elt and the traders' association to see if there's a more suitable location that satisfies everyone in the community.

"Our years of experience of working in this field have shown this kind of centre has never had an adverse effect in any other area before," he added.