The politician spearheading plans for a city centre wet house for street drinkers has revealed he has a third location in mind for the project.

Councillor Vic Pritchard (Con, Chew Valley South) is at the centre of controversy over proposals to use a site in James Street West for a new hostel for homeless people which could incorporate a safe haven for drinkers.

He wants to test the wet house idea with a three-month pilot scheme this summer but says it is likely that he would do this somewhere else. The B&NES Council cabinet member was speaking as the principal of the City of Bath College voiced his concern about putting such a facility close to his Avon Street campus and accused him of failing to respond to letters.

The council has appointed a consultation expert to look at what should be done to tackle street drinking in Bath.

Consultant Jeff Bishop from Ecotec will be looking at the ideal location for a safe drinking area at a time when the council's front- runner site for a £5 million new hostel is the Genesis Trust premises, in James Street West.

The complex, to replace the Julian House facility in Manvers Street, could include the wet house, to provide support for alcoholics and give them a place to drink so they are not on the streets.

Local residents and businesses say such a move would turn the clock back on progress in improving nearby Kingsmead Square and have launched a petition against the whole hostel idea.

Now college principal Mr Atkinson has added his voice to the concern, and said he felt he was being kept in the dark.

He said: "The college has made representations to the council, clearly stating its concerns over the appropriateness of the proposed location for this facility.

"We have repeatedly expressed our desire to be involved in consultations but, unfortunately, have not heard anything from the council since December last year."

Mr Pritchard said he or council staff always tried to respond to correspondence and said it was "unfortunate" if this had not happened in Mr Atkinson's case.

He added that he expected to be in a better position to judge the best location for the trial run early next month.

However, he said he did not think he would be looking at James Street West or a previous site looked at – a shelter in Royal Victoria Park.

Mr Pritchard, who is the council's cabinet member for adult social services and housing, said: "If they come back to me with the idea of Royal Victoria Park, then it certainly won't be there. (It's the) same really if they say James Street West.

"I have an idea of a site, that basically I am returning to something I have said previously."

He declined to identify this site but council officials have looked at more than a dozen potential locations over the past three years, ranging from one at Manvers Street to one as far afield as Bathford.

He added that he hoped a three-month pilot scheme for a wet house could be implemented as early as the start of July.

A council spokesman added of Mr Bishop's work: "The council put out to tender the contract for undertaking independent, objective research to determine where might be the most appropriate place, if any, for a controlled drinking area. Ecotec were the firm who were successful in securing the contract.

"The results of the research will not be known until summer 2010 at the earliest. A final decision about a controlled drinking area will take into account the findings of the report."