Probation officials in Birmingham have moved to allay residents' fears that the number of offenders housed in a bail hostel where Fred West stayed could double.
Redevelopment work, which will see the expansion of Carpenter House on Portland Road, Edgbaston, finally began in March after a seven-year planning wrangle.
The number of rooms at the hostel is being increased from 13 to 20, sparking fears that more people on bail, licence or community orders could be a ccommodated at the property.
Carpenter House currently houses 20 offenders, including 14 men who share rooms.
However, local residents are concerned that if offenders at the male-only hostel shared the 20 rooms, there could be 40 residents in total.
Chris Hoare, chairman of the Birmingham South-West Residents Group, said: "We are trying to get rid of these people but the Probation Service is giving more space to them within our residential community.
"They have increased the number of offenders in the hostel before so what is stopping them doing it again now that they have more rooms."
Local councillor Deirdre Alden (Con Edgbaston) said: "I hope the Probation Service do not try to double up because of lack of space.
"They should be mindful that this property is in a residential area. They have promised to keep the rooms single and one would hope that is how they will remain."
The original plans for Carpenter House, submitted in 1999, were for the number of offenders at the property to be increased from 20 to 28. Revised plans were then submitted for an extended Carpenter House consisting of 20 single ensuite rooms, group and interview rooms, a residents' communal living room, new kitchen facilities and a dining room.
Bill Daly, assistant chief officer at Probation West Midlands, dismissed suggestions that the service was planning to increase the number of offenders at Carpenter House.
He said: "We are trying to build a certain design and we have no plans to make residents share rooms."
