Aldenham Country Park could be “lost forever” after Hertfordshire County Council confirmed this week it would begin shutting down its facilities on the premises.

Attractions within the park could be axed from as early as March next year as part of plans approved by members of the council's environment and planning panel yesterday.

As well as the decision to terminate its activities within the park, the panel decided not to renew the council's lease of the on-site reservoir, due to expire in 2015.

Some members have accused the council of “walking away from its responsibilities to the public” amid concerns the move will cause the loss of a “hugely important outdoor amenity”.

Labour leader at Hertfordshire County Council Sharon Taylor sits on the environment and planning panel and voted against the proposals.

She said: “I thing it is the wrong thing to do. I am not opposing all the cuts but the saving is actually very small for their budget and once this is gone, it is gone for forever.”

The move is still to be approved by the cabinet, on November 29, but councillor Taylor said it is highly unlikely they will oppose the decision already agreed by the panel.

The closure will save the council about £160,000-a-year in rent and operational costs as the authority looks to cut £150million from its overall budget.

More than 200,000 people visit the park every year along with a number of schools that organise trips to the outdoor activity centre.

Attractions due to be binned include the rare breeds farm, public café, children's adventure area, toddlers' play area and the “100 Acre Wood” Winnie The Pooh recreation spot.

The termination of the lease will also throw into doubt the future of the reservoir, used by a private sailing club and hundreds of fishermen each year, while the area will no longer offer maintained nature trails, woodland walks and car parks.

Caroline Clapper, county councillor for Watling and chairman of the Aldenham Country Park Board, sits on the panel and abstained from voting on the proposals.

She said: “I am bitterly disappointed. The park is a great benefit to all the local residents as well as the wider community and the neighbouring London boroughs. My only hope is that someone will come in and take over the running of it and prevent it from closing.”

Hertfordshire County Council has owned the land, between Aldenham Road and Dagger Lane, since 1938 and it has officially held park status since 1978.

Panel chairman and Conservative councillor Derrick Ashley, defended the decision. He said: “We felt we had to bite the bullet. Our business does not involve running country parks. We are happy to facilitate the nice things as long as someone can help us with the finances but at the moment that is not the case.

“If you exclude one area from the cuts it creates a domino effect and you don't make the savings needed. Hertfordshire will still have open spaces and it will remain attractive.”

Terminating the lease in 2015 will also remove the council from any liability over the dam within the on-site reservoir.

Councillor Ashley added: “We have invested a lot of money in maintaining it and, whilst we don't expect it to collapse any time soon, it remains a huge liability for us running into the millions of pounds. We have a full-repairing lease and we would have to fulfil that obligation.”

The reservoir has been leased by the council from freeholders Safari Investments since 1974.

The council plans to leave the park as a public open space while the future of the reservoir will be in the hands of the freeholder when the lease runs out.

However, the leader of the local authority, Hertsmere Borough Council, has expressed an interest in keeping the park and reservoir open as it is.

Councillor Morris Bright said: “We are supposed to be encouraging people to keep active and healthy so we have a responsibility to keep this hugely important outdoor amenity open. However, we simply couldn't afford to take on the running of the country park, nor the liability for the reservoir dam, on our own.

“We have to find the middle ground and that comes from all the relevant authorities putting their money together. It is too early to say whether or not this will be successful but I can promise that Hertsmere will come to the table.”