He said it was “inconceivable that the planning system should endorse a proposal which will result in the ‘daily school run’ conflicting with business access.”

Urging planners to reject the application, he added: “The site is unsuitable for use for educational purposes.

“It has been developed in order to attract major new employment investment to the Liverpool city region. In the setting of the current economic and financial climate, this proposal represents an under utilisation of a key employment site and should be resisted.”

But backing the application, the planning committee concluded the “overriding” benefit was to “support something that provides for educational use”.

The committee also stressed access and issues of transport would be dealt with at detailed planning level.

Although the Innovation Park move is backed by the Diocese, governors at St Margaret’s say they “cannot support a move to Edge Lane” – preferring the two schools’ home to be on the Aigburth site.

The application was one of four approved by the committee, and although nothing is “a done deal” the council had stressed planning permission was needed in order to submit water-tight plans before the government next month.

Assistant education director, Tim Warren said yesterday’s authorisation “paves the way” for a £500m transformation of the city’s secondary schools “the biggest single investment of its kind in the city.”