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Ellesmere Port

Investment Prospectus

The Ellesmere Port Industrial Area (ORIGIN) has the scale and capacity to become a global leader in energy technology, leading the UK in Industrial Decarbonisation supporting the Green Industrial Revolution delivering one of the world’s first Net Zero Carbon Industrial clusters.

Ellesmere Port is home to one to one of the UK’s largest industrial clusters, enjoys excellent connectivity to national and international markets and has access to a large and highly skilled workforce, academic institutions and R&D expertise which can drive innovation.

The EPIA already supports 24,100 jobs, 1,300 businesses and has an economy worth £1.37bn GVA. It is estimated that the potential economic benefits of investment into the Industrial Area include £1.8bn of total potential development investment with £20bn potential GVA generated.

Located in the North West of England, along the M56 corridor between the cities of Chester, Manchester and Liverpool, Ellesmere Port sits within a significant economic heartland. Part of the Cheshire Science Corridor Enterprise Zone and the Mersey Dee Alliance, the Ellesmere Port Industrial Area (EPIA), now rebranded ORIGIN is home to one of the UK’s largest industrial clusters. Major manufacturing employers are based here, including the UK’s second largest oil refinery at Stanlow operated by Essar, one of the country’s largest glass manufacturing plants, nuclear enrichment, chemical production and automotive. Along with Essar, major employers based here include Stellantis (Vauxhall), Innospec, Encirc and Protos (operated by Peel). It is estimated that collectively 5% of the UK’s energy is consumed here.

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This concentration of industry has produced an unparalleled level and breadth of expertise in energy including in nuclear engineering, energy systems, power distribution and storage. This expertise, backed by significant investment from the likes of Essar, Peel, Stellantis, Encirc and others, supported by public sector partners, is now at the forefront of delivering a new whole energy system which could provide secure, low carbon and lower cost energy to support our vital industries. This innovative approach to industrial decarbonisation can then be replicated across the UK and even overseas.

Potential

Key stakeholders in the area from both the private and public sector have set out a clear vision and realistic action plan to deliver the interventions needed to help unlock major private sector investment opportunities and these are outlined in a Development and Infrastructure Framework (DIIF) for the area.

Invest Net Zero Cheshire, a partnership between the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and the Cheshire Energy Hub has produced a portfolio of £1bn of viable projects that meet the aim of net zero carbon emissions, whilst satisfying the energy demands of the area. This blueprint offers long term, sustainable investment opportunities in net zero.

www.investnzcheshire.co.uk

Key projects are already being unlocked. Hynet is a groundbreaking low carbon and hydrogen energy scheme (Vertex Hydrogen) with other leading edge technology including a Waste to Energy Plant, Waste to Fuel Plant (Fulcrum Northpoint) and electric car manufacturing (Stellantis) ensuring that Ellesmere Port is at the forefront of trailblazing green energy and decarbonisation technology. Sitting alongside the area’s energy expertise is a major logistics hub and with over £30 million of public investment secured in town centre, public realm and sustainable transport improvement, ORIGIN provides a compelling proposition to investors.

Distribution and Warehousing

Sitting alongside the advanced manufacturing and green energy assets in ORIGIN is a thriving complementary distribution and warehousing cluster. With opportunity for supplier park/logistics/warehousing throughout the ORIGIN area. Investors include a Jaguar Land Rover logistics hub, Regatta’s distribution hub and DHL. As part of Stellantis operations, a 35 acre site on part of Hooton Airfield is currently being developed into a National UK Parts Distribution Centre. Other recent investment includes Rhino Products which has recently relocated its European HQ including a state of the art flagship office and production facility to Ellesmere Port.

The ORIGIN Zones

ORIGIN has 4 distinct zones:

Western Advanced Manufacturing Zone - this area can support the future transition of car manufacturing in the UK with Stellantis a key occupier. There is huge potential in this zone to unlock new land opportunities for developers
ORIGIN Central - the main arrival point to ORIGIN, next to a major road junction, the rail station and Ellesmere Port town centre.

Stanlow and Thornton Zone – the location of Stanlow Oil Refinery and the heart of future hydrogen production. The presence of the University of Chester at Thornton Science Park here created a link between research and innovation and practical application of technologies
Eastern Growth District - This district will develop over the next 10-15 years into the UK’s most advanced clean and green energy industrial cluster. It will play a key role in enabling HyNet, and along with the rest of ORIGIN it will serve industrial users. This is where the Protos energy and resource hub is located.