Vauxhall parent Stellantis is making Ellesmere Port a maor electric vehicle centre. Credit: planning documents

Approval for major Vauxhall shed

Working with Stoford, the motor manufacturer’s parent group Stellantis has secured permission for a 670,000 sq ft facility at its Ellesmere Port site.

Webb Gray Architects has designed the single-building facility, which will include three levels of office space, but will largely be used for the storage and distribution of car parts, at least initially.

Avion Young is the planning consultant for the project. The professional team also includes Potterton Associates, BWB Consulting, BSA Heritage, Ramboll, Hoare Lea, Andy Harmer and Engineering Services Consultancy.

Stellantis is a multinational automotive business set up as a 50:50 joint venture in 2021 by Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group.

At a time of great change for the car industry, the group is looking to bring forward electric vehicle models under the group’s various brands, which along with Vauxhall include the likes of Alfa Romeo, Peugeot and Jeep. Ellesmere Port was named last summer by Stellantis as its intended site for a £100m investment in EV building.

Access into the site is off West Road, close to Junction 6 of the M53. The site is around 28 acres in total, and sits within Vauxhall Supply Park, opposite the ongoing development at Aviator Park. The land is currently owned and used by Vauxhall Motors, largely for car parking.

The site sits within the Hooton Business Park area, and is thus allocated for employment use. There is a cluster of listed buildings to the south-west of the site, largely linked to the former Hooton Park aerodrome, which will be retained.

Ahead of Cheshire West & Chester’s planning committee on Tuesday, the planning officer’s report recommended approval. It stated: “The proposed development represents a high-quality sustainable form of development which will deliver further investment at Ellesmere Port.

“The proposals would deliver positive economic, social and environmental benefits which should be afforded significant positive weight in the determination of this planning application,” adding that “the proposed development represents the latest major investment in the area to ensure the longevity of Hooton Park as a major employment site for the local area”.

Stoford is among the country’s busiest industrial sector developers, with projects in the region including extensive work at Manchester’s Airport City and a 184,500 sq ft warehouse for British Salt in Middlewich.

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