Grass Cutting on Parish Open Spaces

Published: 07 August 2026

Chigwell Parish Council owns and maintains several open spaces across the parish and regularly receives enquiries regarding grass cutting.

Following the recent period of hot and dry weather, the Council has taken professional advice and unless conditions change significantly expects to cut longer grass areas during September.

This temporary delay is due to the increased fire risk associated with using mowing equipment in long, dry grass. Professional advice also indicates that cutting drought-stressed grass can hinder recovery and place additional stress on the turf.

While the Council remains committed to its Biodiversity Policy, public safety is our primary consideration. We have therefore adopted a balanced, risk-based approach that takes account of both current environmental conditions and the safety of residents.

We will continue to monitor the weather closely and resume grass-cutting operations when it is safe and appropriate to do so.