Opening of Dudley's mammoth £31 million music college delayed by THREE YEARS

The £31 million ‘Resonance’ project at The Waterfront will not welcome its first students until 2020.

The institute, expected to create at least 43 jobs, was originally due to open in September 2017 – but today chiefs said its opening date has been pushed back amid funding issues.

The college’s backers are still seeking funding for the project, with council bosses asked to stump up a £200,000 ‘bridging loan’ by next January – ‘should alternative funding currently being investigated not materialise’.

Disappointing

Dudley Council’s former regeneration boss Khurshid Ahmed said: “Any delay is disappointing, and we need to get this up and running soon.

“It will improve the local area and I hope everything that can be done is done to make sure this vital project is completed as soon as possible.”

David Barnard, co-director of Resonance, said: “There has been a very detailed due diligence process in terms of the funding but stars are beginning to align.

"We see Resonance launching in two phases. The first is the community phase and this will include staff recruitment activities in the community. The second phase will be the student intake and that is planned for 2020.”

A council report says: “The loan would form part of the £9.6million total project costs to develop a world class higher education facility at the Waterfront, Brierley Hill specialising in music, and would be required to be in place by January 2019."

The campus will include a lecture theatre, classrooms, practice rooms, a library, recording studios, an independent radio station and a live music venue. Accredited degrees will specialise in performance, production, education, management and composition. Resonance is being developed by BICMP, a registered charity.