'Our estate is an eyesore due to unmown grass' say residents in Milton Keynes

Residents on Heelands in Milton Keynes are complaining about the lack of grass mowing by the council on their estate.

They say the grass and weeds have grown to more than 2ft tall in some public areas and is making the usually neat estate look untidy.

"Not only is it a complete eyesore for the residents but it's also full of weeds, thistles and other dangerous objects that can't be seen," said one householder. "This makes it totally unsafe for children to play or dog walkers like myself to use".

He added: "I have contacted Milton Keynes Council with no joy. With the amount of rates we have to pay in MK, it is totally unacceptable that we have to live in these conditions."

Last month motorists complained about unmown grass and unpruned shrubs on city roundabouts, saying they were causing a lack of visibility for drivers. See the Citizen story here.

Many readers agreed while others praised the natural look of the longer grass and wildflowers, saying it was more beneficial to wildlife.

MK Council is responsible for maintaining more than 10 million square metres of grassland in the borough.

Due to the council's prioritisation of other services during the Covid-19 pandemic, grass cutting was delayed in many areas. Teams have still been still out mowing but worked a reduced capacity due to government guidance on social distancing. .

A council spokesman said: "Council managed public land is mown on a cyclic program between March and late October. The schedules are arranged to match the expected growing pattern of the grass and any specific management requirements for biodiversity, expected public use and highway safety.

He said the grid road grass cutting programme began with the V roads, followed by the H roads and mowing of grass on estates was now in progress.

"Milton Keynes is reviewing its approach to grid road landscape maintenance and its green city aspirations by creating wildlife areas, but of course there is a balance and works are taking place to ensure safe sight lines for road users," he added.

Mowing schedules can also be delayed by public holidays and bad weather. Mowing is suspended during periods of prolonged dry weather, while persistent rain can cause the ground to become too soft leading to a risk of the mower becoming bogged, rutting and damaging the surface.