Bake the plastic grass! A quarter of Britons now want fake lawns banned

Nearly a quarter of Britons would like to support a complete ban on the sale of fake plastic lawns.

Having a fake lawn installed can seem appealing to tired homeowners – it means you don’t have to push the lawnmower around and it looks consistent.

But the British have turned their backs on fake grass in recent years, and research has shown demand for fake grass installations to fall by 48 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

More than half of households would never have one installed in their own yard, according to a survey by the trade website Mybuilder.com.

Meanwhile, a third of those surveyed believe that measures should be taken to limit the use of plastic lawns for environmental reasons.

The average cost to install a mock lawn in an average sized garden is between £1,200 and £2,500, according to Mybuilder.com.

‘One of my biggest regrets at the time’

Victor Bryan, a Buckinghamshire estate agent, has had an artificial pitch installed. He told This is Money it was a big regret.

The problems with his fake lawn started in the summer.

He tells us: ‘A fake lawn is fine in the winter if you don’t use the garden, but in the summer it’s a different story. If you have dogs the biggest pitfall is the smell of urine lingering on the fake grass – in the summer the smell was horrendous.

“It got to a point where it became embarrassing if we had friends in the yard.

“When it was really hot it wasn’t comfortable on your feet – I had to cross the lawn to walk to my garage, which was uncomfortable.”

“If you have a small child, and it’s not nice for them to walk on it because it almost gets sticky in the heat.

“The drainage isn’t the best on synthetic turf either – it’s not as good as grass. If you have a sloping garden, the water drains less quickly than it should.

“When I was emptying the paddling pool, it always ran towards my garage wall. I would never do it again.

Grass not always greener: The British are increasingly turning their backs on synthetic turf

‘I chose to get it done and I paid the £3,000 to have it installed, which was one of my biggest regrets at the time.

“We sold our property, but I would have had it removed if we had stayed there. I wouldn’t get it again.’

Bryan added: ‘I would support a ban on artificial pitches purely because it’s not a good option in the hot summers we get when you have a young child, and for safety reasons because it’s too hot on their feet.

“One of my friends was interested in buying one and asked my opinion of them – I told him just not to.”

Parts of the UK that hate fake grass the most

Wales is the country most offended by fake lawns, with a third of people living there saying there should be a full ban. In Northern Ireland, only 18 percent felt the same way.

In terms of cities, Bristol is the city in the UK most disliked by artificial turf, with 38 per cent saying they would welcome a ban on synthetic turf. Cardiff was close behind with 36 per cent agreeing with a ban.

In Edinburgh, 29 percent supported a ban and in traditionally ‘green’ Brighton, 27 percent voted for a ban.

Newcastle don’t appear to be as bothered by fake grass, with just 9 per cent of people saying they would support a ban.

Expert landscaper James Lewis, who works with MyBuilde, said the recent negativity about artificial turf in the media – plus the Welsh Government’s attempt to introduce a ban – has led the public to start turning against it.

Lewis says: ‘I’m not surprised to see these results, and it certainly seems like more people are deciding not to install synthetic turf in their gardens.

‘While it is not for everyone and there are obvious concerns about its ‘green’ qualifications, there are advantages to having an artificial pitch.

“When you think about it, we recommend that you carefully weigh the pros and cons before investing.”

The pros and cons of fake lawns

Advantages

1. Low maintenance

No mowing, no watering, no reseeding – there is no doubt that an artificial grass is easier to maintain than a natural lawn.

2. Can look good all year round

A fake lawn won’t get brown spots, bare spots, or muddy puddles, all of which can affect normal grass. It maintains its appearance with little maintenance.

Cons

1. Purchase and installation costs

Buying and installing your artificial grass will probably cost several thousand euros.

2. Can get too hot

As Bryan has experienced, artificial pitches can get too hot for little feet and paws, causing blisters and burns.

Veterinarians at Joii Pet Care also recently warned owners that artificial turf can be dangerous to pets, advising caution when allowing pets on grass.

3. Poor drainage

An artificial grass does not drain as well as a real lawn. This can cause problems in areas where flooding is a problem, such as in new housing developments built on previous floodplains, or in areas near bodies of water. It’s also bad news for paddling pools in the summer months.

4. Impact on natural habitat

Removing natural grass harms the environment and causes habitat loss for insects, plants and wildlife.