Japanese Knotweed on the rise in London

The warm and wet start to 2019 has enabled Japanese knotweed to thrive. 2019 has seen reports of up to 1 metre of growth already. Infestations have also been reported in some parts of outer London and the South West for the first time.

Knotweed issues have the potential to seriously delay or even kill a property sale. Despite this there appears to have been an increase in property sales and purchase enquiries where knotweed is a known factor this year.

The Science and Technology Select Committee held an inquiry into the impact Japanese knotweed has on the build environment in January. The Committee found that “the current approach to Japanese knotweed is ‘overly cautious’ and more academic research is needed into its effects on the build environment.” It recommended that The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) commission a study of international approaches to the plant in the context of property sales to further inform discussions on the issue.