HUGE numbers of building workers may have to be housed in special camps at Perham Down when a military building programme costing hundreds of millions of pounds gets under way in Tidworth.

Project Allenby will see a massive rebuild the Army's accommodation in Tidworth from January 2005 and will provide work and opportunities for local people and businesses, Garrison Commander Col Godfrey Tilney told members of Tidworth and District Chamber of Commerce.

The project is so big that one of the three international consortiums bidding for it dropped out because it is too large.

There will be a huge demand for labour.

Col Tilney said: "Workers will need to be accommodated which might be provided by the contractor and at Perham Down and Larkhill complete campuses could be put up.

"There will be take-up of local resources but not for one moment will that mean more than 50 per cent of what is needed - and work could be taking place on three barracks at some times. Workers will be coming here from the whole of the UK and some from abroad."

A £50 million rebuild of Lucknow Barracks begins in January 2003 but Project Allenby proper will only begin in 2005 with the building work schedule to last five years.

After that there will be another five years or so of refurbishment to buildings that are not being replaced so the project construction phase could last until 2014.

When Allenby is finished the number of service personnel and their families in Tidworth is expected to be 10,800.

Col Tilney hoped the changes would put an end to a handicap that has dogged business life in Tidworth for generations - the emptying of the town when soldiers are away for long periods.

More soldiers meant there would always be a larger number of soldiers remaining in the town and there are greater hopes that wives will stay in Tidworth when their husbands are away rather than return 'home to mum'.

"The whole face of Tidworth is improving and becoming more attractive so families may decide to stay here in Tidworth," added Col Tilney.

"The downside is that there will be building sites and some disruption is inevitable."