City is among hotspots for Japanese knotweed

CASES ALSO REPORTED NEAR ASHBY AND IN GROBY AND COALVILLE

A JAPANESE knotweed removal company has identified Leicester as a hotspot for the invasive species.

The plant grows rapidly in the UK, with nothing in this country to eat or compete with it, and it can damage the foundations of homes and other buildings.

Under UK Law, Japanese knotweed is a controlled plant under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. While it is not illegal for you to have knotweed on your property, it is against the law to cause or allow the plant to spread - meaning you should probably take action if it’s on your land.

According to specialists at Environet UK, there have been 47 infestations in Leicester already this year - and that’s just the cases that have been reported.

There have been a further 28 in the Ashby area, which is also a hotspot for the plant.

There have also been reports elsewhere around the county. This includes 15 cases in Groby and 10 in Coalville.

Japanese knotweed first arrived in UK in 1850 in a box of plant specimens delivered to Kew Gardens in London. At first people loved it because of its rapid growth and pretty heart-shaped leaves and it was planted up and down the country by gardeners and horticulturalists who were oblivious to its dangers.

As well as the foundations of buildings, knotweed does serious damage to drains, driveways and paths, sending its roots up to three metres underground and out seven metres wide in each direction.

The law demands that anyone selling a property tell potential buyers if it’s in the area, usually knocking about 5 per cent off the value of homes where it is present, according to Environet UK. Nic Seal, founder and managing director of Environet, said: “Japanese knotweed tends to strike fear into the hearts of homeowners but as long as they’re aware of its presence and take action to remove it before it causes any damage or spreads to a neighbour’s property, there’s no reason to panic.

“By publishing the 2022 hotspots for Leicestershire we hope to raise awareness and encourage people in the area to be vigilant for signs of knotweed as the growing season takes off, so they can act quickly if needed.

“Anyone living near or moving to one of these hotspots would be wise to check their garden, enter their postcode into Exposed to find out how many known occurrences are nearby. If in doubt, seek expert help.”