Japanese knotweed can cause havoc if it's left to grow wild in our communities. Currently, it is not a crime to have Japanese knotweed growing on your land, however, if the infestation spreads to surrounding areas, you could find yourself in court. A law was introduced in 2014 allowing local authorities to penalise people who did not take adequate steps to remove Japanese knotweed from their land. This law was put in place to help make sure communities aren't devastated by the invasive plant.
In a lot of places, people take responsibility for the knotweed on their land before it becomes a council-wide problem. However, in a recent news article, it came to light that Carmarthenshire, Wales has become a bit of a hot spot for the troublesome weed. It appears that councillors in this region are going to use the powers bestowed on them to tackle the Japanese knotweed problem:
"Councillors passed a motion which said Carmarthenshire Council should start using so-called community protection notices (CPNs) to force landowners to eradicate Japanese knotweed where it was impacting on local residents' quality of life. The amended motion also called on the Welsh Government to urge other councils to consider taking similar action"
It's no surprise that Carmarthenshire councillors have decided to take legal actions, the infestation is described as a "forest of knotweed" that's decreased the value of the local homes by tens of thousands of pounds. Some local residents have also struggled to get home insurance because the invasive weed is so close to their property border. Unfortunately, with an infestation this severe, it really will require the combined efforts of residents and businesses like Network Rail who are responsible for some of the affected land.
CPN's may be issued to people who are not treating the knotweed on their property. This will be a stark reminder that getting Japanese knotweed treated as early as possible is the best thing to do to avoid complications later down the line.
How can Taylor Total Weed Control help?
If you're living in Carmarthenshire, or anywhere else in South Wales or South West England, we can help you tackle your Japanese knotweed problem quickly! We've worked with homeowners in lots of different places to help prevent the spread of Japanese knotweed. It all starts when you book a FREE survey with one of our experienced technicians.
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