LUXURY car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will open a new logistics plant in Ellesmere Port in August, creating 300 jobs.

The company announced on Friday that the facility will support the international success of the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2, supplying JLR’s Halewood plant.

With confirmation expected tomorrow that Ellesmere Port’s Vauxhall plant has been saved and will produce the next generation Astra, the outlook for the town’s automotive industry has gone from bleak to bright in just a week.

JLR’s logistics provider, DHL, will manage the purpose-built automotive logistics warehouse at the empty 37,000sq m Phoenix site, on North Road, formerly used by Syncreon Logistics to feed parts to Vauxhall for its Astra production lines.

Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller said the site was chosen over an old Ethel Austin building in Knowsley as it is already set up for JLR’s needs.

He said: “This is a clear commitment to our local area and shows confidence in our local workforce. This in an important strengthening of the supply chain in this region for the automotive industry and I look forward to working with JLR.

“They were looking for a site where the right skill mix in the automotive sector was there.

“It is ready to move into and speed is critical to them.

“It’s part of a long-term effort to bring more supply chain jobs into the locality and strengthen the underlying business of the vehicle industry.”

Senior staff from Cheshire West and Chester council’s regeneration Service worked closely with JLR to help clinch the deal.