Richard Hammond has to make major changes to his new property after a survey found there were several species of bats currently living inside it
Richard Hammond’s property plans have been thrown into chaos(Image: GETTY)
Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has suffered a massive blow after spending nearly £2m on a mansion in Wales.
The former Grand Tour presenter, 56, recently spent £1.99m on a Georgian mansion in Llanwenarth in Monmouthshire that lies on the edge of the market town of Abergavenny, around an hour’s drive north east of Cardiff.
The large property was reportedly bought with the intention of renovating it to include such features like a pavilion, padel court, and special display rooms. But a new survey has found that Richard may have to wait a little longer to move in.
Eight species of bats have been found using his new 21-acre property to roost and hunt. Videos of the surveys, taken between June and August. which were posted online on Monmouthshire’s council website show at least two types of bat flying out of a stone barn that Richard wanted to renovate.
In the UK, it is an offence to disturb, injure or kill bats, as well as damage their roosts or habitats. The government adds: “You may be able to get a licence from Natural England if you cannot avoid disturbing them or damaging their habitats, or if you want to survey or conserve them.”
As a result, Richard faces the prospect of making several changes to his property to ensure that the bats are not disturbed. This could mean the installation of roosting spaces, special voids, and bat boxes.
Richard has previously spoken about the move, which occurs around a year after he and his wife of 23 years Mindy Etheridge announced they were breaking up.
He said: “I moved house recently. These cars have never lived here and they’re home. My babies are back. I’m childish, but I’m excited.”
In a statement, Richard’s planning agents said his scheme “been developed through a heritage-led design process that responds positively to the [property’s] significance” and that it was “preserving its special architectural and historic interest whilst securing its long-term conservation through sensitive repair, restoration and adaptation”, reports the Times.
Outside of moving properties, Richard has been helping The Grand Tour move on joining Jeremy Clarkson and James May in welcoming new presenters Francis Bourgeois, Thomas Holland, and James Engelsman ring in the new series released later this month.
Speaking about how the trio had helped them out, Francis admitted they had been nothing but helpful.
He told the Independent: “They’ve been very supportive, very warm, very open in just saying, ‘Go ahead – make it your own,’ even though we have been sensitive in honouring what the show is all about, and keeping car enthusiasm central.”
Richard also recently opened up about seeing his daughter Izzy, 25, crash during a spell in a Formula E car earlier this year.
He told the Metro: “It’s a little uncomfortable because I know from personal experience that things can and do go wrong.
“I’m a father, like any other father. I don’t want to see my little girl hurt, but I don’t want to hold her back from opportunities that present themselves.
“She’s carving her own career, so I can sit back and watch her do that and only applaud.”
