What is meant by deleterious materials?
Materials which can degrade with age causing structural problems
What is a hazardous material?
A material which is harmful to health
What are some tell-tale signs / clues of potential problems with deleterious materials?
- Brown staining on concrete
- Concrete frame buildings
- 1960s and 1970s buildings
- Some modern buildings
What are some examples of deleterious materials?
- High alumina cement (corrodes steel)
- Woodwool shuttering
- Calcium chloride
What are some examples of hazardous materials?
- Asbestos
- Lead piping / lead paint
- Radon gas
What should you do if you identify hazardous materials?
- Recommend specialist report
- Always check asbestos report
How is water disposed of from a site?
- Surface water runs off into the water course, such as a soak away or storm drain
- Foul water drains from soil pipes into a sewerage system
What guidance has the RICS issues on Japanese Knotweed?
RICS Information Paper on Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property, 2015
How do you identify Japanese knotweed?
- Purple/green hollow stem
- Heart-shaped green leaves
- Clusters of white flowers
Why is Japanese Knotweed an issue?
- Invasive plant that can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac
- Not easy to control, costly to eradicate and a specialist company must remove and dispose of it
- Property lenders may refuse loans
What is the legislation for Japanese Knotweed?
The environmental protection act 1990
Allowing it to spread is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
What are the penalties for ignoring Japanese Knotweed and allowing it to spread onto adjacent land?
- Criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Magistrates court can impose a maximum fine of £5,000 or a maximum prison sentence of six months, or both. Crown Court can impose an unlimited fine or a maximum prison sentence of two years, or both
- Local authorities can grant a Community Protection Notice (CPN) and fines of up to £2,500 per person (£20,000 for an organisation)
What did the landmark Japanese Knotweed case of Williams v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd 2018 find?
Network Rail was liable for the cost of treating the invasive plant plus damages for the loss of use and enjoyment of their neighbour’s property (but not the reduced value of the property
What did the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report in May 2019 say about Japanese Knotweed?
- Physical damage to property from Japanese Knotweed is no greater than that of other disruptive plants
- Encouraged an evidence-based approach to ensure that the response is proportionate to the physical effects of the plant in the built environment
- Recommended that Defra commission a study on international approaches to Japanese Knotweed
