In 2019 a multi-million pound Flood Alleviation Scheme was completed in Selly Park North to reduce the flood risk to over 150 homes and businesses. This followed the completion of Selly Park South in January 2018, where together, these schemes will work to protect over 350 homes and businesses in the heart of Birmingham.

The scheme was part of the Environment Agency’s programme to invest £2.6billion by 2021 protecting over 300,000 homes and businesses from the risk of flooding.

It helps to protect key highway routes and infrastructure during times of flood, maintaining vital transport and emergency routes in an area that was affected by flooding in 2008, 2016 and 2018.

Works included:

• Construction of an embankment and flood wall to prevent water overtopping the left bank upstream of Dogpool Lane Bridge.

• Creation of an embanked area to store water during storm events in the green open space on the right bank upstream of Dogpool Lane Bridge.

• Increases to the wall height on the left and right bank downstream of Dogpool Lane Bridge.

• Improvements to existing access routes, including the cycle path and Ashbrook Road access drive.

• Improvements to an existing flood storage area at Harborne Lane.

• Raising of two areas of land to create a flood overflow channel on the former BBC Sports and Social Club site at Pebble Mill.

• Creation of a new underground culvert to improve the way that flows are managed underneath the Pershore Road.

• Habitat and recreational improvements to Harborne Lane and the Upper Bourn Brook area.

Once the civil engineering was completed, ATM were instructed via our framework with the Environment Agency, to carry out Landscaping works at Selly Park North & South and across the old Pebble Mill site.

This included the planting of extra heavy standard and standard trees, woodland, wet woodland and plug planting with grass and wildflower seeding, with an aim to beautify the land and create further wildlife habitats, increasing biodiversity in these areas.