When it comes to Root Barriers and Japanese Knotweed, they have their place however as seen below they aren’t always the solution…
We surveyed this site where Japanese Knotweed was growing on both sides of the fence. It had previously been excavated by another company and a root barrier had been put in place. This property is on a new build estate, where new houses were still being built. Root barriers do have their place, but not on building sites! As seen in the video the Japanese Knotweed is growing through the root barrier. Where the root barrier has been damaged, the Japanese Knotweed has literally come through that gap, it won’t have burst through because these barriers are guaranteed for 50 years. Therefore, we know that the barrier has physically been punctured by something such as a spade.
Not only was the Japanese Knotweed growing through the barrier, it was also growing in front of it. As seen in the video there is a whole section that is growing on this side of the barrier. This signifies that it may have been back filled with contaminated soil (soil contaminated with the rhizomes of the Japanese Knotweed). When excavating Japanese Knotweed it is important to remove the soil from site and dispose of it at a registered landfill site.
Root barriers do have their uses, however they need to be accompanied with a management plan. In this case the plan should be covering what is growing on the other side of the fence.
In order to obtain an insurance backed guarantee once the treatment programme has been finished, you will need to have the work overseen by a PCA accredited company. This guarantees that any further growth within the insurance period is remedied as soon as is practicable.
Here, at Japanese Knotweed Expert, our surveyors are PCA Certified, so get in touch if you need any knotweed taken care of! To find out more about our qualifications, visit our Qualifications & Accreditations page
If you think that you have Japanese Knotweed, do not touch it. Always seek professional advice for your next steps!
Have you found Japanese knotweed on your property? Not sure if you are able to make a claim? Who is legally responsible?
If you need help identifying Japanese knotweed, you first must know that it will look different depending on the current season.
See what treatment options are available for residential properties.
If you think that your neighbour has Japanese knotweed, and may potential spread to your garden, here is a step-by-step guide for tips on what to do next.
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