Anger at council's 'scruffy' new mowing regime

Open spaces, like this one in Borrowash, have been left to grow longer this year

Upset residents in part of Derbyshire have criticised their council’s new approach to mowing.

A new campaign was signed off in March by Erewash Borough Council (EBC).

Wild About Erewash aims to leave most of the borough’s green spaces to grow in a more natural way, with less weedkiller, less formal planting, and a focus on encouraging wildflowers and insects in its 100-plus parks and open spaces.

But as the seeds of the green plan begin to show on the ground, some residents in the borough have been left seeing red.

Kyle Heesom, from Ilkeston, thinks a promising plan has been badly implemented.

“I love the idea but EBC have got it wrong and worryingly, have turned people against the idea of rewilding, turning it into a dirty word," he said.

“EBC still should have mowed areas of sports and playgrounds - at the moment it’s out of balance, and people are not happy.

“Then in rewilding areas where grass was left, paths should have been mowed through.”

The council is responsible for more than 100 parks and open spaces like this one in Sandiacre

Karen Gaffney said: “Everywhere looks so scruffy, I have lived in Long Eaton all my life and I'm ashamed of how it's turning out.”

Another Long Eaton resident, Mike Colman, felt small parks were effectively being abandoned.

He said: “Leaving the small parks uncut for long periods of time makes the clearing of dog muck all but impossible primarily because you can’t find it, and the chances of bottles being hidden and subsequently smashed when the parks are cut more likely.

“I wonder where the decision-makers played as children because playing sport in the small parks was all but impossible before the grass was cut in July.

“The residents living near these small parks are also concerned that turning them into mini nature reserves is the first step in making them unusable prior to selling them off.”

Only grass next to pathways and play areas will be cut short now

Stephanie Walker, also from Long Eaton, said: “I like the idea but that’s not just leaving to grow out of control.

“They need management and help to set as wild flower meadows with mowing and seeding.

“All I see now is long grass suffocating any chance of wild flowers and a huge amount of ragwort.”

When the scheme was approved earlier this year, EBC said it would “benefit people’s health and wellbeing, improve biodiversity in the borough, and reduce the authority’s carbon footprint”.

Eight sites were chosen for rewilding - Petersham in Long Eaton, Larklands and Barling Lagoon in Ilkeston, Dallimore Road and Wyndale Drive in Kirk Hallam, Beauvale Drive and Granby Park in Cotmanhay, and Bare Lane in Ockbrook - alongside the new nature reserve being created at the former Pewit Golf Course.

Some residents feel the rewilding plans have left areas looking scruffy

At other sites, such as Ilkeston’s Victoria Park and Long Eaton’s West Park, visitors were told to expect a “more natural look” with only areas around play areas and pathways mown.

The council also planned to secure funding to plant more trees across Erewash.

Council leader James Dawson said: “Protecting green spaces is essential for people’s wellbeing and enjoyment of their natural environment, whilst providing an ideal outdoor space to learn and study nature.”

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