UNITING CHURCH TO GET SYDNEY SHOOTING GALLERY LICENCE

Sydney's heroin shooting gallery is expected to take a step closer to
reality when the Uniting Church receives its formal licence next week.

UnitingCare New South Wales executive director Reverend Harry Herbert said
he expected to receive approval from the police commissioner and the health
department next week.

Preparations for the safe injecting room have been delayed by several months
while the Uniting Church awaits the formal go-ahead.

The room was initially expected to be open last month but Mr Herbert said
the best-case scenario was now towards the end of the year.

"We thought we could do things a lot quicker. We've learned since then that
things have to follow one after the other," he said.

Builders are on standby to move in and completely remodel the former pinball
parlour in Kings Cross as soon as the licence is granted.

Mr Herbert said the building work, which included adding plumbing and
creating the injecting area, would take around three months.

Remodelling the entrance area was also a priority.

"We have to establish a proper waiting area. We have to change the front
entrance," Mr Herbert said.

"We have to make it more discreet than what it is at the moment ... it's big
glass doors ... we don't want that in the future."

The location of the room on the main red light strip has upset locals and
the King Cross Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

"Their objection is that they don't like the site we chose," Mr Herbert
said.

"I think that now we got to this process it's probably a good time for them
to admit that for the purpose of a trial, this is as good a site as we could
get."