Guidelines, Policy and the Law
What does the law allow you to do if Japanese Knotweed on adjoining land or property is causing a nuisance, loss of amenity or diminished value to your own property or land?
We are determined to assist our clients and customers through our website and newsletters.
All our clients and their customers are welcome to receive our newsletter upon request. We have published a booklet which is free to download from our website or a hard copy is available by post. This is designed to assist understanding of invasive species, photographs to easily assist identification and the dos and don’ts when infestations are identified on your land.
As fully accredited members of the Property Care Association Invasive Weed Group, we have compliance with adopted code of practice, the latest data and research. We also carry Government endorsed standards, are active on Constructionline and fully qualified on CHAS.
Our main operational areas are England and Wales, our Midlands Office Director Mr Kevin Alderwick (Email: kevin@i-v-m.co.uk Tel: 07843 017974) covers the Midlands, Wales and North England).
Our Cambridge Office Director Mr Patrick Horsley (Email: patrick@i-v-m.co.uk Tel: 07977 134723) covers the East and Southeast of England.
The Treatment Area of a Japanese Knotweed Management Plan. When taking into account the buffer zone the extent to which a residential garden may have to be segregated can be considerable. This is something that needs to be discussed with the client so they fully appreciate the co-operation required to ensure that any Japanese Knotweed shoots emerging within the buffer zone are not disturbed and the area remains free from other vegetation to facilitate detection.
Boundaries and Neighbours. It is always desirable to engage through your client with neighbours where Japanese Knotweed is straddling or growing close to fences etc. If this can be achieved amicably then the Management Plan can proceed normally albeit with some logistical complications. But it sees quite common to find that a neighbour may not co-operate even when not required to contribute to costs. Clearly this represents a major restriction to you and your client and this must be addressed.
Discuss the use of a vertical root barrier membrane and/or completely excavate the infestation, which for small stands of Japanese Knotweed can sometimes be achieved with mini diggers plus some manual spadework. It is more expensive of course, but perhaps the only viable alternative when neighbours are determined to be uncooperative.
