Sloped bank clearance - brambles/shrubs/nettles

lou-hall

This large bank is a problem area that requires grass for the future so needs seeding.  There have been years of brambles and nettles and some mixed shrubs which have been cut to the ground.
obviously these will grow back again and I want to have made a start on it by Spring really. What methods can I use to control it and aim for the long term seeding plan.
After clearance should it left for a period of time or could it be seeded fairly quickly, given the right conditions.
Do I literally need a mini digger to get out the roots or are there other methods.
(the more cost effective the better)
It is about 25 m x 8 m running off to a path down a slope.
Cheers

Fairygirl

You'll have to dig everything out. Brambles don't tend to have deep roots, and some shrubs are the same, but it depends how much energy and muscle power you have.
A mini digger might be a lot easier in the long run, and it would be easier to do any of that through autumn when the ground will be damp.
You can then cover the area until you're ready to prep it for seed, or you can wait to see if anything new appears and apply a good weedkiller. I'd do the latter if it was mine. 

Trying to seed without making sure the area is well rid of everything is often a mistake. It's  a tough job though. 

lou-hall

Thanks, that’s what I was thinking. I’ll look into the mini digger option.

Dovefromabove

Just be aware that a bank of soil that isn't bound together by roots, or covered with foliage or some sort of manmade covering, is liable to be eroded during spells of heavy rain.