Watch above: Flooding in Selly Park

Flood defences costing £4 million and designed to protect more than 100 Birmingham homes hit earlier this summer are set to be approved by councillors next week.

The plans for new defences at Harborne Lane Reservoir and the former Pebble Mill site will protect homes in the Selly Park area of the city which were deluged during the June storms.

The flood risk management scheme is directly attached to the controversial development of 340 student flats and two shops on the former Pebble Mill site.

Flooding at Selly Park was blamed on an overflowing bottleneck in the Bourn Brook under Pershore Road.

So a new parallel river link will join Bourn Brook and the River Rea to reduce the pressure on the existing channel.

The raising of ground levels around the site will create space for three new student apartment blocks of up to six-storeys which developer Calthorpe Estates says will part bankroll the flood prevention scheme.

Half of the £4 million cost of flood defences will be raised through the student flats and this will be matched with contributions from the water and environment authorities.

The new flats will be near the Dental Hospital at Pebble Mill (above)

A report to the council’s planning committee states: “The uses (for student accommodation) would provide the £2 million match funding to the Environment Agency that would allow delivery of the £4 million flood defence scheme and would removed approximately 115 private residential properties that were severely flooded in June from future flood events.”

According to a report ahead of the council’s planning committee meeting on September 15, there are objections from residents and councillors.

Councillors Matt Bennett and Deirdre Alden (both Con Edgbaston) have said that, while the flood defence is welcome, the student flats are out of keeping with the remainder of the Pebble Mill site which is dedicated to medical uses including the new Dental Hospital.

There are also major concerns over traffic generated and parking needed for more than 300 students.

Parking is a huge problem in the Edgbaston area.

The proposed student development includes a pub/restaurant and a café on site.

The council’s transport department suggests an electric pool car arrangement for the students.