Vauxhall has announced plans to invest £50m in its Ellesmere Port plant as it prepares to cease manufacturing at its Luton site. As a result of the Luton closure, operations would be transferred to Ellesmere Port's North Road factory, creating hundreds of jobs.
Cheshire Live understands that, subject to consultation, production in Luton would stop by June next year with work being moved to Ellesmere Port from 2026 onwards. The carmaker's parent company Stellantis has confirmed that it 'will offer relocation support to facilitate employees wishing to transfer to the Ellesmere Port site with an attractive package, where hundreds of permanent jobs will be created'.
The company has entered into a period of a consultation with the trade union representatives and its employees. The £50m will be used to create an all-electric, sustainable vehicle hub at its Ellesmere Port site.
A Government spokesperson said: "While it’s encouraging to see Stellantis investing in the future of its Ellesmere Port plant, we know this will be a concerning time for the families of employees at Luton who may be affected. We have a longstanding partnership with Stellantis and we will continue to work closely with them, as well as trade unions and local partners on the next steps of their proposals.
"The government is also backing the wider industry with over £300 million to drive uptake of zero emission vehicles and £2 billion to support the transition of domestic manufacturing.”
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