NOVA NEWS EDITORIAL 04 APRIL 2022

DO KNOT IGNORE

Once again I am returning to a subject touched on previously: Japanese knotweed, which was featured in a recent article in the Propertymark, an Estate Agency trade magazine.
This invasive rhizome perennial plant was originally introduced in the Victorian era with its vigorous growth satisfying the requirement for dense plant screens and to stabilise sand dunes. Since those early years, the plant has become a major nuisance.

Anyone owning or managing property or land is responsible for the control of the weed which is spread by disturbance of the ground in which it is present. Disposal of contaminated soil is a specialist operation, and one such business is Japanese Knotweed Ltd which works throughout the country dealing with knotweed issues.

If you consider you have an infestation it is essential to set up a Knotweed Management Plan and the Environment Agency would be able to provide guidance on this issue as there are a significant number of dos and don’ts related to the plans. The weed should be isolated with a 7-metre isolation area established around the site.

One important factor to consider as a buyer or seller of property and land is that the existence, or otherwise, of the weed is now included within the Seller’s Property Information Form (TP6), therefore a seller needs to be very careful how they answer the question ‘Is the property affected by Japanese knotweed?’ potentially leaving oneself open to being sued for misrepresentation.

How do you recognise knotweed? The plant is a rhizome (root), growth begins in April / May and can be 10cm per day growing to 3–3.5m. The free-standing plant has shovel-shaped leaves which have a flat edge and lead to a point being up to 20cm long (around the size of your hand). The stems are lime green with red/purple flecks. Flowers appear in August until mid September being small and creamy white in a cluster. The stems turn brown over the season and the leaves turn yellow in November and fall off leaving stems which turn brittle over the winter.

The presence of the plant on neighbouring land can result in devaluation of your property, especially if within the 7-metre exclusion zone.
At the time of writing the property market remains buoyant with some lovely homes coming onto the market which, no doubt, will have attracted significant interest.