A husband and wife who own a popular Tameside pub have been awarded £8,000 after battling Japanese knotweed.
The irritating plant, which can cause damage to properties, had been spreading from land owned by Tameside Council onto the Tame Valley Hotel, in Dukinfield.
Gary and Sharon McDonald, both 51, had plans drawn up to build a house on their property - but were unable to move forwards with the project due to the Japanese knotweed encroachment.
The couple turned to Liverpool-based High Street Solicitors after discovering the plant right on the boundary of their property, fearing that the stigma surrounding knotweed would affect the build and leave it unable to be mortgaged.
High Street Solicitors carried out a survey and found that the encroachment had spread from a large infestation on a nearby cemetery.
It had grown onto the pub's small garden to the right of the property and was 1.5 metres in size.
High Street Solicitors set the wheels in motion towards making a claim against the local authority and, in a settlement before heading to court, Mr and Mrs McDonald received £8,000.
The couple said: “When we first discovered the knotweed, we were really concerned. The plant can devalue properties and most importantly, affect the build on properties with encroachment.
"We’ve drawn up plans to build a house on our property which has been impossible with the knotweed. It would’ve also meant we wouldn’t have been able to get a mortgage and have the potential to affect our livelihood that we’ve worked so hard for.
“We’re so grateful to High Street Solicitors for securing the compensation and also ensuring the Japanese knotweed is treated to eradicate the current encroachment and prevent future growth onto our land.”
Japanese knotweed is renowned for causing structural damages, interference with draining pipes, and growing into small cracks or joints where it can expand and break them.
The plant is most commonly found near railway locations as it was traditionally used to support railway embankments and their surroundings.
If the plant has encroached onto a property or piece of land, owners are entitled to make a claim.
Joann Cameron, litigation executive at High Street Solicitors, said: “Japanese knotweed can has the potential to cause damage to a property and poses an immediate diminution of value of your property - this becomes apparent when you’re trying to sell your property or in Mr and Mrs McDonald’s case, build on the property and have a mortgage.
“It is extremely important that the Japanese knotweed is eradicated and treated as quickly as possible in order to ensure the property and land is enjoyed by the proprietor, and that after treatment, the property becomes mortgageable again."
A Tameside Council spokesperson added: “An issue with Japanese knotweed spreading from council land to another property was dealt with via council insurance.
"A treatment plan is in place to prevent further issues.”
