The council will vote on Monday whether a controversial proposal to swap the established St Clair Park in Woodville with a former Actil industrial site of the same size will go ahead.

But ratepayers, who last Monday formed the St Clair Reserve ratepayers committee to fight the development, suggested the council’s decision had already been made.

“The people want a stay on the decision until the consultation process has been genuinely undertaken, not the farce we’ve had over the past month,” said protest leader Kirsten Alexander of Woodville.

Ms Alexander appealed to the council to save the park.

“This proposal is the equivalent to building six or seven-storey apartment buildings on the Adelaide Parklands,” Ms Alexander said. “No one would even consider that.”

The plan, which is part of the Cheltenham racecourse redevelopment, would see a housing development built on the pristine parkland while the industrial site will be “remediated” and used for public space.

Residents were supported by former local federal member Rob Sawford and Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

Mr Parnell said despite debate in state parliament regarding Cheltenham and the Actil site, the government had rejected alternate proposals.

“What has amazed me is that time after time when sensible suggestions are put forward by members of parliament who are listening to the community, they are knocked back,” Mr Parnell said.

The council says it will consider residents’ submissions regarding the land swap, including fears about the Actil site’s contamination, before it makes a decision.

“If the revocation and land swap proceeds, council will not accept the land until it is remediated and safe for the community to use,” council CEO Mark Withers said.

Mr Withers admitted the value of the two parcels of land may differ, but that their value would be assumed to be the same to facilitate the swap.