Grass cutting

We maintain over a million square metres of grass on the verges and public land in Aldershot and Farnborough. We generally carry out grass cutting between March and October.

We also cut the grass and maintain our public parks. We do not cut grass on privately-owned land or on properties or estates that do not belong to us.

Check which grass areas we cut

How we cut the grass

There are two different standards of grass cutting: 

• A regular cut to keep areas reasonably neat and to make sure the grass does not obstruct sightlines
• A conservation cut, where we leave the grass un-mown from March to late summer/autumn before cutting it once to prevent the area returning to scrub

Our grass-cutting crews usually start in March and work through the same routes until the end of October. 

Usually, it takes around 4 or 5 weeks for the crews to work through their routes, and by this time the grass should need cutting again. Generally, if an area is cut in week one, it will be cut again in week 4 or 5. 

We try to carry on cutting the grass even in wet weather, so we can keep the frequency to every 4 or 5 weeks. However, if it is extremely wet, we will suspend the cutting. We may also do this during long periods of dry weather, when grass growth can reduce a lot.

We know that climate change is having an effect too. In very warm and wet conditions the grass will grow more quickly, and our crews may struggle to keep up. The grass may also grow beyond October, which is when we usually stop cutting. If this is the case, we will continue cutting, until the grass stops growing. 

Grass clippings

You may notice that when we cut the grass, we leave the clippings evenly distributed over the areas cut. This is so that they can compost back down into the soil.

How we’re helping to tackle climate change

The way we manage grass cutting in Aldershot and Farnborough helps support the council’s commitment to tackling climate change by reducing our carbon emissions through keeping vehicle journeys and the use of mowing equipment to the minimum.

By not cutting the grass too low on verges and public areas, we can encourage low-growing native plants to thrive and provide pollinating opportunities. It also minimises the amounts of grass cuttings which can look unsightly.

For areas of longer grass to develop into wildflower meadows, seeds need time to set, which is why if we are managing an area for conservation, we will only cut it once in late summer or early autumn.

The benefits of letting grass grow longer include:

• Creating habitats for insects like grasshoppers, nesting for bumblebees and shelter for small animals like field voles
• Keeping more moisture than shorter grass that helps large trees
• Absorbing more rainwater helping to reduce flooding
• Encouraging the growth of wildflowers that help bees and butterflies as well as producing seeds for birds and small mammals

We maintain paths, walkways, and areas of shorter grass for access and recreation. These will sit alongside areas of longer grass, providing sites that benefit local wildlife, plants, pollinators and people.

Report a problem

To report a problem you can email our customer services team using the details below. We will ask you for the exact location of the problem, including the street and any landmarks to help us locate it.