Campaigners say “democracy has bitten back” after a councillor was ousted from a development liaison group four years after he controversially voted twice to allow a supermarket to open its doors in their village.

Residents slammed the independent councillor in 2011 for using a chairman’s casting vote to rule in favour of a Tesco store opening in Bourne End, but they say they have now avenged this after removing him from a group looking into another village development threat.

Wycombe District Council had selected outgoing Cllr Roger Colomb to lead the group looking into the future of Slate Meadow – which has been earmarked for a possible 175 homes – but a number of people raised concerns during a meeting last week and voted to remove him.

Chairman of Wooburn and Bourne End Parish Council, Sue Wagner, said: “We needed someone we could work alongside to get the best result for Slate Meadow but there was simply no way I or some of the others could forgive him after the Tesco decision.

“I said on the evening that I don’t hold grudges but in his case I will make an exception. A few of us were not happy with him being chairman and didn’t trust his judgement.”

During a regulatory and appeals committee Cllr Colomb voted twice to reverse a 4-3 vote against the store opening to make it a 5-4 success for the supermarket giant and many still recall the headline of “The day our democracy died” in the Bucks Free Press that week.

After years of wrangling over the various planning issues, the Tesco store was finally opened in The Parade last month, but residents have said they simply could not envisage him playing a part in another big planning debate surrounding Slate Meadow.

Residents have been keen to stop properties being built on the former green belt land, which separates Bourne End and Wooburn Green, but it was “released” for development by WDC six months ago.

The council has since organised for a liaison group to review each of the five former reserve sites to ensure any development is right for that area.

Cllr Wagner said: “We understand he was selected because he has a reserve site in his Terriers ward [Terriers Farm] but we felt because of his history in Bourne End it just would not work for us.”

WDC are now looking to appoint a new chairman for the liaison group in time for their next meeting towards the end of March.

Cllr Colomb said: “As chairman I was just there to facilitate the group and would have had no power to change any of their decisions.

“I know there was still ill feeling because of the Tesco decision but that was a long time ago and there is no doubt I would have helped with their concerns in any way I could.”

He added: “I have been a politician for a long time and I don’t get too emotionally involved with this sort of concern, but I do wish the group luck in their bid to get the best result for Slate Meadow.”