PLANS for accommodation linked to a £7.6 million music institute at The Waterfront, Brierley Hill, have been approved.

The application for outline permission for halls of residence to be built on an existing car park located at Waterfront West raised fears of partying students disturbing neighbours.

Planning officers said residents of the nearby Landmark Building were worried that undergraduates could cause noise nuisance during  unsociable hours. 

Details of the size and and number of people the building will accommodate have not been made available but the associated institute is expected to teach some 600 students when it is completed in 2020.

The centre for music will be housed in Cable Plaza which will be converted to provide degree level courses in performance and production, composition, live sound and management.

Councillors gave the thumbs up to the outline plan for the halls of residence at the last development control committee meeting on February 5.

Detailed plans for the scheme will be presented in the future.