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Gloucestershire Police Chief Faces Controversy Over Welsh Barn Conversion

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 planning ecology biodiversity wildlife construction laws gloucestershire monmouthshire conservation development

Gloucestershire’s suspended chief constable, Rod Hansen, has become embroiled in a planning dispute in the Welsh village of Shirenewton, Monmouthshire. Hansen aims to convert a barn near Chepstow into a three-bedroom home, but residents and local councillors have raised serious objections, citing environmental damage and procedural concerns. The Shirenewton Community Council criticized the site’s recent clearance, noting the removal of the barn roof and undergrowth, which displaced protected species such as bats, great crested newts, and dormice during their breeding season.