Villagers are becoming increasingly concerned over a threat by the 'Lord of the Manor' to register his manorial waste.

Bovingdon has become the centre of a land dispute, where Nicholas Halsey has served notice on 300 homes, in a bid to adhere to government deadlines to register all UK land by 2012.

Villagers in Green Lane, Chipperfield Road and the High Street could be charged by Mr Halsey for the right of access to their front doors, making it difficult to sell their homes should his application succeed.

Mr Halsey's solicitor, Rebecca Minogue, of Strutt and Parker in St Albans, said a letter will be sent to the affected residents, which they can attach to the deeds of the property "giving them a right of access to their property free-of-charge".

John Howard, a member of the working group, which is trying to solve the situation, explained that Mr Halsey has advised he will withdraw part of the application, although the land this relates to is thought to be owned by the county council.

He explained that villagers are waiting to see the outcome with the county council's land, before they take their cases forward.

John said that people are frustrated that they have been given a deadline by the Land Registry, when Mr Halsey has not.

Joe Bateman, of Bovingdons' Batemans Solicitors, said that if Mr Halsey wants transparency, he should give the land to the parish council as Lord Rothschild did in Tring.

He said most of the residents feel his motives are financially based.

June Percival, 78, of Chipperfield Road, said: "We have never seen Mr Halsey maintaining the land in 24 years.

"We cut the lawn every week and are worried this will create problems for our children when they come to sell our house."

Jo Brown, spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council, said: "A small amount of the relevant land belongs to the county council.

"Some is registered common land and some is considered to be highway land.

"An initial response from the Land Registry indicates that they agree that some of the land is in the county council's ownership.

"The Land Registry is continuing to look at the remainder of the land and we await their decision."