Demolition experts have been briefed with a mission to take a wrecking ball to 50 structures on the old US Navy base in St. David's.

The destruction will clear a swathe of new land for redevelopment at the old base.

It will also rid the area of several unsafe and unsteady structures, riddled with asbestos or dangerous to future residents.

Don Grearson, spokesman for Bermuda Land Development Company, insisted the firm was not "scorching the land'' but putting safety first.

He added: "These 50 structures earmarked for demolition by the end of the year.

"But they range from two-bedroom apartment blocks to an electrical switch house, transformer vaults and dilapidated warehouses as well as a big road sign.

"They are not all buildings. It's just that for the sake of planning, we have to list them all.'' He said demolition work and asbestos clearance has carried on throughout the summer, ever since the first major buildings were knocked down in April.

But it was April, 1997 when the first wreckers moved in, clearing Naval tanks in the old Marginals Wharf area.'' "This work will take us well down the road towards the end of our demolition plan,'' added Mr. Grearson.

"There is 100,000 square feet to be demolished by December. The latest building to be demolished, number 393, was 15,000 square feet alone.

"If we had left it, it would have presented a safety hazard to those people who will live in the three-bedroom residential area.'' Old barracks buildings are also due to be torn down.

"These are decrepit buildings filled with asbestos,'' said Mr. Grearson.

"They are in the process of being stripped of asbestos right now. The facade is crumbling, the concrete is falling away from steel beams and there is extreme water damage in there.

"These are primarily safety projects and the land beneath them is the real value. It will all be used as part of the large business technology park we are planning to develop.'' Several non-hurricane proof apartment blocks are also due to be torn down.

And BLDC officials say between 15 and 20 structures -- out of more than 300 on the former base -- have already bitten the dust.

Environment Minister Harry Soares revealed last week that Bermuda was now holding 525 shipping containers jam-packed with asbestos, 265 of them at Southside.

He said each 20-foot container, which can hold 20 tonnes, was regularly monitored by environment officials.

Mr. Grearson added: "We have experts clearing the asbestos and the removal is done in a totally safe manner.'' The dust is placed in double-zip plastic bags, then sealed inside the containers and subjected to regular checks.

The BLDC, who run the Southside base, have a 30-year regeneration plan for the area, including housing and business programmes.

There is also an ambitious project to relocate Bermuda's container docks to St. David's.