No Mow May: Basingstoke Council cuts grass in Deanes Close

Rob Willshire, from Deanes Close, South View, became frustrated when he noticed that the green space in his road was being mowed by the council during No Mow May, a campaign that encourages people to let their lawn grow free to help flowers grow for bees and insects. 

With help from his neighbours, Rob had sown wildflower seeds to develop the wild environment and enhance nature.

Rob said: “The council are wasting money and destroying the habitat we’ve created. We are trying to keep the bees and the food chain going.”

He explained that the community had planted a mix of dandelions and other wildflowers, which, with seeds from bird droppings, would grow into a mixed environment for the insects.

He said: “They should have left it until mid-June at least.

“We have a shortage of bees and now our wildflowers have been demolished.”

After Rob posted a video of the grass being mowed on Facebook, his friend Councillor Paul Harvey knocked on his door to apologise. 

Head of environment and community services at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Tom Payne, said: “We recognise that residents living around this open space have different views on the area. Some of them have been keen to leave it unmown, especially at certain times of the year, to encourage wildlife. Whereas others have complained about it becoming overgrown, as it is a place for children to play safely as they can be seen from the homes around.

“We already leave over 210 acres of grassland across the borough unmown in spring and summer for biodiversity. There is a great example of this just around the corner at the Lyford Road open space, where there is a large area managed to encourage biodiversity.

“We apologise for cutting the area without talking further to residents, especially those who were trying to get wildflowers to grow there. We will now be engaging with those living around the open space to try to find a way forward.”