TECHNICAL BULLETIN
ISSUE 29
JULY 2018
JAPANESE KNOTWEED RESEARCH COMMENTARY FROM SAVA & BLUEBOX
Further research
You may be asking why we’re covering Japanese knotweed again. At Sava, we spend a disproportionately large amount of time dealing with complaints and potential claims arising from Japanese knotweed and, while it has been an issue for a long time, it feels as though the public’s reaction to it is now bordering on the hysterical. For this reason, we feel it’s worth covering again.
We believe another research report is due to be published imminently, this time undertaken in conjunction with Leeds University. We understand this will address the physical impact of the plant. When this is published, we should have a much better understanding of the implications of this plant from both a property and ecological perspective and we will return to knotweed again.
In this Technical Bulletin, we look at recent research from Dr Dan Jones, Managing Director of Advanced Invasives Limited and an Honorary Researcher in Swansea University Department of Biosciences.
RICS guidance
RICS is in the process of revising its Guidance on Japanese Knotweed but this is on hold pending the publication of this second research paper. As part of this review, the Risk Criteria associated with knotweed will be reviewed.
As well as covering detailed research on control options, we also look at an interesting view from David Gregson, a Chartered Surveyor and Environmentalist, who followed this research.
Revising the Guidance properly will, we think, be a long process involving other stakeholders, but we will keep an eye on developments in case RICS publishes any interim documentation.
While the feature doesn’t formally represent the views of either Sava or BlueBox, David makes the valid point that surveyors should be able to recognise knotweed at any time of the year. He suggests that Japanese knotweed reports could be another form of specialist report recommended by surveyors.
Keep a look out for the plant, even if you are in a lowrisk area, and make sure you can identify it at all times of the year.
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