Fisherman, sailors and visitors are supporting plans for a housing development on Green Belt land in Aldenham if it means it can save a "precious" reservoir.

Aldenham Reservoir in Daggers Lane, which is next door to Aldenham Country Park, is in need of serious repairs.

The reservoir is currently leased to Hertfordshire County Council, which is due to expire on December 25. At a meeting in February 2011, the council announced that it will not be renewing this lease as financially it would not be viable.

Frequent visitor to the lake, Margaret Kelly, of Chandos Road, Borehamwood, said: "We must not lose this precious part of our area.

"It's a haven for so much wildlife and has given so much pleasure to so many for decades."

Developers Liberty Aldenham have submitted a planning application to Hertsmere Borough Council to build 150 houses and the money raised from the development will be used to repair and maintain the reservoir.

The homes, a third of which will be affordable housing, will be built on a piece of Green Belt Land in Watford Road, opposite the reservoir.

Owner of Liberty Aldenham, Nitin Gosrani, said: "For generations my family have been using the lake, which is 200 years old, and there are plenty of people who use it and want it to stay open.

"Although the land we plan to build on is Green Belt, it is also scrub land, it has no ecological benefit and building on it to save the lake, which is a lung in the community, is a good enough reason."

Liberty Aldenham are proposing to set up a charitable trust which will own the reservoir and contribute £5 million towards investments in repairing the dam and safeguarding it in the future.

In a survey carried out by the developers, out of the 441 responses they received, 91.6 per cent of residents are in support of the proposal.

Steve Degnan, of Harvey Road, London Colney said: "Keep the lake open. Most of us have been fishing there from when we were children as well as out previous generations of anglers.

"It plays a large part of the history of Hertsmere and holds childhood memories for everyone from the surrounding areas."

Others who responded to the survey also highlighted how the proposal also provides some much needed housing and therefore makes this a "win win" application.

Ann Giddard, chair of the Borehamwood and Elstree Green Belt Society, said: "We do not oppose the building of 150 houses on Green Belt Land as long as a charitable incorporating organisation is set up beforehand to safeguard the lake for the community.

"Ideally we would prefer no buildings but the preservation of Aldenham Lake and the dam we believe constitutes as special circumstances."