WORK is underway to build hundreds of flats for a music school after residents objected, claiming their lives could be disrupted by students practising instruments.

Students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will be moving into the 301-bedroom building on Dunblane Street following its completion in August 2019.

The site currently comprises of a former bus depot which has been used as a public car park for more than a decade and neighbours the B listed Piping Centre and A listed Scottish Ambulance Centre.

Planners were met with a number of objections in 2017 with fears about anti-social behaviour, noise of students rehearsing on musical instruments being cited by residents.

Concerns were also raised about the density of the development, its height, design and visual impact on nearby listed buildings.

One objector said noise in the area was already too high and the proposal would make it worse.

They added: “The noise will increase during the construction phase and then the hundreds of students who are moving in are going to be practicing instruments.

“This will detrimentally impact upon residential amenity.”

Planners have stated that acoustic and amplified music from within the development will not give rise to a noise level and mitigations will be put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Construction is already underway on a mixture of en-suite shared flats and studio apartments.

The Royal Conservatoire will be leasing around half of the bed spaces directly.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “This new development will allow our students to thrive and develop as artists and citizens of the world.

“It’s of immeasurable benefit that our students have the right facilities to practice their art in their own environment to help them get the most from their studies, social lives and student experience.”