A multi-millionaire chemist behind a controversial firm that sold ‘legal’ LSD products has been accused of trying to ‘change history’ by angry villagers over plans to move an ancient bridleway outside his £2.8 million mansion.
Locals say Alexander Stratford, 35, has applied to move the 1,000-year-old drover’s route claiming that people are at risk from farm machinery and his privacy is affected.
But they argue the new path he is proposing would not only do away with part of a historic route once used for taking livestock to market but would also prevent ramblers and horse riders from going through a picturesque ‘green tunnel’ formed by trees in leaf.
Critics also claim Mr Stratford is already trying to drive them off the path by placing a skip and unsightly junk near the entrance to the shaded tunnel.
The businessman bought an eight-bedroom farmhouse in Hertfordshire in 2021 and has submitted a series of planning applications for changes to the property, which sits in 66 acres of farmland and woodland also has a substantial barn conversion.
But it is the plan for ‘Bridleway 21’ that has infuriated locals.
Villager Andrew Butler, 56, said: ‘People think they can move in and change things that have been here forever.
‘He does not have the right to essentially change history. I am totally against it. The majority of the village is as well.’
Farm owner Alexander Stratford, 35, want to move an ancient drover's route that passes through a beautiful 'green tunnel' from outside his £2.8 million home
Parish council chairman Wayne Morris complained that someone coming ‘from the fringes of London’ shouldn’t be changing a piece of local history.
‘It’s not just a simple case of moving the route a few feet. It’s been a drover’s route for over 1,000 years.’
A villager who asked not to be named added: ‘It’s a disgrace. Leave the path where it has been for generations.
‘This bloke thinks he can come into the village and do what he wants. It’s totally wrong.’
Mr Stratford hosted a meeting at the village’s Five Horseshoes pub where he put on free drinks as he outlined his plans.
But one of those who went along to the event said: ‘He wants to cut that [bridleway] out for privacy reasons and he also said it was for safety as people would be run over by farm machinery.
‘But there was never a problem with privacy or farm machinery before.
‘As you come up to the farm, the trees meet in the middle and create a green tunnel. It’s so beautiful. To lose it would be devastating.
Mr Stratford told locals at a meeting he hosted in a village pub that people were at risk from farm machinery and his privacy was being affected
Villagers are concerned they will no longer be able to use the 'green tunnel' if the route is changed
The eight-bedroom property, which sits in 66 acres of farmland and woodland, also has a substantial barn conversion
A plan submitted to the county council shows the current route in green and the proposed deviation in red
Locals claim a skip and junk are preventing people from using the path
‘He’s already laid an alternative route through a nearby field he owns so he can close it.
‘But you have to go on this horrible track he’s put down that’s not suitable for horses because the stuff on the surface is too sharp.’
Mr Morris added: ‘There have already been riders falling off. The surface isn’t right and animals down there have spooked them.’
His wife Sue said: ‘He’s got a big skip and other stuff which looks like it’s to stop people from using the path. I’ve complained to the bridleway manager at Hertfordshire County Council.’
Briton Mr Stratford was the founder of Lizard Labs, which was based in the Netherlands and produced novel LSD derivates which circumvented drug laws.
The products were sold to countries including France, Germany and Japan between 2012 and 2024.
An estate agent’s brochure produced when the farm went on the market has a section titled ‘Rights of Way’.
Underneath, it states: ‘Please note there is a public right of way within the boundary.’
Parish council chairman Wayne Morris said: 'It’s not just a simple case of moving the route a few feet. It’s been a drover’s route for over 1,000 years.'
Mr Stratford has not responded to a request to comment.
A member of staff said he was away when an approach was made at his home, which has five bathrooms and five reception rooms and is surrounded by high-tech security features.
Hertfordshire County Council confirmed it had begun a 'pre-order consultation' on Mr Stratford's application.
The village has already been the scene of another heated dispute over a different bridlepath.
David Moore, 63, and his wife Dr Dawn Carnell, 59, a cancer specialist, have spent six years arguing against a route that goes through the grounds of their £1.2 million property.
They had spent £325,000 and taken their case to the High Court before they warned earlier this year that they were prepared to push costs above £400,000 by applying to the Court of Appeal - although it is understood they failed to apply to the higher court within the required time limit.
Sophie Redmond, paths manager at The Ramblers, said: 'Local paths are lifelines. They connect people with green space, fresh air, and better mental and physical health.
'Right now we need these things more than ever. But without safe walking routes close to home, it's almost impossible to make walking in nature part of everyday life.
'Across Britain, thousands of miles of local paths are missing, blocked or unusable, stopping people being able to access nature close to home.
'Governments must act now to protect and expand the path network so every community can enjoy nature close to where they live.'