Ellesmere Port Development Board celebrate ten year’s investment

Regional Growth Fund (RGF) from 2012 has resulted in over £200 million additional investment in Ellesmere Port from the private sector, safeguarding 2,320 construction jobs and a further 1,672 jobs with local businesses.

The RGF Building on Success Programme was a £6 million programme of enabling works including infrastructure and environmental improvements, unlocking the development potential of key sites within Ellesmere Port. 

Thanks to the RGF, Ellesmere Port is now well positioned for future developments. The Cheshire Science Corridor Enterprise Zone has recently undertaken a successful five-year review. The RGF has been key to pump priming work within the Ellesmere Port Industrial Area and the creation of a new and ambitious vision for the future for the Area.

The Funding was used at five key sites, covering 81HA. These sites were selected for their potential to unlock employment development and create job growth through the provision of infrastructure works. The sites were:

• Hooton Park (now Aviator)

• Port Bridgewater / Port Cheshire (now Link Logistics Park)

• Former Cabot Carbon Site (ProGroup and Krystals)

• Newport and Former DSM land (Helix Phase 1 and 2, Rhino Products)

• Former BP Castrol site (Westland Horticulture and EMS)

Projects included: New Bridge Road Adoption Works (Completed 2014), M53 Gateway and North Road Improvements (Completed 2014). Links to Labour Pool including upgrading the Shropshire Union Canal Towpath, the underpass under the M53 from Thornton Road to New Bridge Road and the Greenway through Church Wood to North Road.

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy & Regeneration said: “The funding has produced real benefits and I’m delighted to say the targets have been exceeded in terms of the number of jobs supported and the additional investment created.

“Ellesmere Port benefited from over £200 million investment which is a staggering amount but it’s a fraction of the £1.8bn additional investment now being predicted as we move forward with the vision for the area to form one of the first Net Zero Carbon industrial clusters in the world.”

Chris Farrow, Chairman of the Ellesmere Port Development Board added: “Ellesmere Port is being positioned as one of the UK’s ‘Super Places’ linking clean and green growth and low carbon technologies. The level of investment enabled a true Pride in the Port as we have become the home of industry leaders.

“Redevelopment takes time, but the progress over the past ten years is transforming Ellesmere Port, we are experiencing our own housing boom with developers trying to keep up with the demand.”

The Cheshire Science Corridor (CSC) Enterprise Zone legally came into effect on 1 April 2016. The RGF Programme has shown the appetite for Ellesmere Port to be part of the Science Corridor, sitting alongside Alderley Park and Birchwood. Enterprise Zone status was awarded to 12 sites in three locations totalling 103.4Ha, nine sites totalling 57.9Ha are located within Ellesmere Port. These sites were chosen for having the best opportunities to attract new development / businesses within the CSC to accelerate the significant growth potential of the area.

The RGF Programme including the road adoption works to New Bridge Road has also been a catalyst for unlocking further sites. The new 10 MVA primary substation required to support the Cabot Carbon site has also unlocked the remaining sites in the New Bridge Road area.

Government funding of £6 million was secured through the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) by the Ellesmere Port Development Board in 2013 supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council. The final programme report has been submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities who have agreed closure of the programme.