Angry protestors have criticised renewed plans to close a popular rubbish dump in Watford as part of cost-cutting measures at Hertfordshire County Council.

A review of household waste sites across Hertfordshire in 2008 found the Wiggenhall Road site was poorly designed and as there was a surplus of alternative sites close to the town, council chiefs proposed to close it.

It was saved in July that year when Watford Borough Council agreed to hand over a small piece of adjacent land, which would help improve the layout and operation of the depot.

In the intervening two years, however, that deal was “never completed” and as County Hall looks at ways to deflect imminent public sector cuts, the future of the depot is under threat once again.

Plans for the closure, which would save the county council £150,000 each year, will be presented to the council's Waste Management Panel on November 16. If approved, the final decision will be made at cabinet on November 29, with closure set for February next year.

Alternative depots are in Riverside Drive, Rickmansworth or the Waterdale household waste site on the A405 in Garston.

Figures show 218,000 people visited Wiggenhall Road in 2006/07, although the county council said up-to-date statistics show a “continuing decline” in the amount of waste handled there.

It is estimated 3,632 tonnes of rubbish will be taken to the site this year – 25 per cent less than in 2007/08.

The announcement has created a storm among local councillors and residents, who believed they had won the battle to save the Watford Borough Council-owned site two years ago.

They argue the closure will lead to increased traffic and pollution as residents are forced to visit other dumps, and may lead to an increase in fly-tipping or a fall in recycling rates if homeowners “don't bother” to visit another tip.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst (Central Watford and Oxhey), who sits on the Waste Management Panel, first learned about the proposed closure on Tuesday.

He said: “I am appalled at this news and will be campaigning as hard as I did in 2008 to save the depot from closure. To have closure considered so soon again, just two years after we saved it, is a disgrace.

“Whilst I know there are financial pressures on all councils we all made the clear case for saving this essential facility before and the Conservative-run county council has not lived up to its side of the agreement.

“Closure will let residents down and it will not be allowed without a fight.”

Mike Castro, from Hampermill Lane, said he was “absolutely dismayed” by the decision.

“I know that the Garston and Rickmansworth sites are much bigger, better and more efficient,” said Mr Castro, a member of the Oxhey Hall Residents Association.

“However, the loss of this important site will mean residents travelling many miles to and from the Garston, Elstree or Rickmansworth sites adding to petrol/diesel use. It will also mean more dumping and disposal of some items via the weekly refuse collection system. Each of these sites would mean a round trip of at least 11 miles from Oxhey Hall. Quite simply, faced with the added journey and time, people are not going to bother.”

Ian and Leigh Drury, from Hillcroft Crescent, and Three Rivers District Council members Alison Scarth and Peter Ray were also among protestors who gathered outside the depot today (Thursday).

Mr Drury, 46, said: “I don't understand why, two years after rehearsing these arguments, the county council had reneged on its agreement to solve the issues that related to the previous closure plans and expand the site to address the issues such as queuing outside and capacity within the site itself.”

Councillor Scarth, who represents Oxhey Hall, added: “We had a huge response last time talking to residents who adamantly opposed the closure. It doesn't make any sense. It's not costing them anything to have the land. It shouldn't be a problem.”

Watford Borough Council claims the county has been “dragging its heels” over planned improvements to the site after the additional piece of land was offered for use free-of-charge in 2008.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “I wish I could say I am surprised but I'm not. In trying to nail the deal we have felt that county has been stalling.

“This is a popular, well-used site and if closed, it will mean longer trips to the tip that some might not bother to make, increasing fly-tipping and discouraging recycling.

“It's a bitter disappointment. I thought we had a deal. But it's not definite. We will press the case to keep it open.”

Councillor Derrick Ashley, Hertfordshire County Council's executive member for waste, confirmed the closure of the depot would be discussed at the next Waste Panel meeting at County Hall.

He said: "In 2008 we conducted a review of our household waste sites and agreed to keep the site in Watford open because the Borough Council offered us a small additional piece of land which would have improved its operation. We would have made a modest capital contribution to the necessary works.

"In the intervening two years it has not proved possible to agree the new arrangements with Watford Borough Council and the possibility of retaining the site has been overtaken by the imminent cuts in public sector funding. We can no longer afford to maintain the range of sites serving the Watford area.

"The area remains well provided for by Household Waste Recycling Centre sites at Waterdale, Rickmansworth and Elstree.

"We remain keen to encourage recycling and would encourage residents to use these Household Waste Recycling Centres and normal kerbside collection arrangements."

Hertfordshire County Council is expecting to make total savings of about £150million over the next three years.