As the Sunshine community steps up its campaign to save the site to create a park and open space, a press release states the council wants the same thing.

But the council has written to the State Government, asking it to use the land to build affordable housing, keeping 0.8 hectares for a park.

In the press release the council calls on the community to support the campaign: "There is currently a shortage of public open space in the vicinity of the school, and the council is recommending that the State Government give residents access to a suburban or neighbourhood park."

Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association president Darlene Reilly warned residents not to be fooled. "This press release is misleading. There is only one line in it that even hints that they still want affordable housing on the site," she warned.

That one line reads: "We believe that strong, continued advocacy to the State Government is required to ensure that the open space is provided to the council as a component of any development."

The Advocate asked the council exactly what its intentions for the site were. CEO Nick Foa said the council's position had not changed.

"The council's primary goal from the start has been to advocate that the State Government uses the soon-to-be-vacant Sunvale Primary School site to meet the needs of the local community."

He said the council wrote to the State Government in 2008 asking that future use of the land meet the community's needs of open space and residential development.

"Brimbank is the second-most-disadvantaged local government area in metropolitan Melbourne and the lack of affordable housing is a significant issue for the community," he said.

Residents can pick up an advocacy postcard to send to the State Government or sign a petition from the council's service centres, libraries and community centres.

A car park site of about 20,000 square metres in front of the Sunvale Primary School site has been subdivided and zoned residential, allowing building to begin at any time.

The land used to be owned by the council but was sold in 2006.