New Advice On A Horticultural Invader

Originally published in Estates Gazette

Japanese knotweed can create havoc for developers. Peter McKeon and Emma Humphreys report on the latest code from the Environment Agency.

Recent reports have indicated that the cost of dealing with Japanese knotweed on the Olympic site in east London could be around £70m.

Outside its native areas of Japan, Taiwan and northern China, Japanese knotweed is a highly invasive weed. It was introduced into the UK for use as an ornamental plant and to help stabilise embankments in the 1800s. It subsequently became naturalised. It can grow in almost any habitat and is now found in almost every county in the UK, particularly along rivers and railways and on brownfield sites.