Case Study

Case Studies – Celtic Technologies

Client: CELTIC Technologies Ltd

 Project: Newton Heath, Manchester

Services: Japanese knotweed eradication: – herbicide spraying

The Challenge: We were asked to carry out a Japanese knotweed survey of an 18- hectare former brickworks site in East Manchester and provide an eradication strategy. The site was open grassland and scrub with some mature trees, and was adjacent to a canal.

Although the land was privately owned it was frequently used by dog walkers and as a short cut across the canal.

Our Solution: Using GPS we estimated that the visible live Japanese knotweed growth covered 12,672m2. This was over 10% of the site area. There were no plans to develop the site in the short-term.

Therefore the preferred strategy was to control the spread of knotweed, which was achieved by conducting an initial herbicide spray of all the identified knotweed.

Due to the complexities of the site, liaison was undertaken with the local authority, the Environment Agency and British Waterways. Method statements, risk assessments and COSHH forms were submitted to these stakeholders for approval. Care was taken to ensure that sensitive ecology in the adjacent canal was not damaged.

Our works were thoroughly planned and undertaken by a four man team taking five days. Warning signs were clearly displayed and moved around the site, as required, to advise people of the spraying.