A new £20m plus public services hub is in prospect for Ellesmere Port, triggering the potential for up to 2,000 new homes close to the town centre.

If approved, the ‘once in a generation opportunity’ would see a new building linking in to the borough council’s Civic Way offices to transform the way in which public services are provided while opening the door to regeneration and investment in the town centre.

The hub will be next to the council's existing offices in Civic Way

Unveiled at a meeting of the council’s Tory-controlled Executive, the new hub could open in 2018/19.

The borough’s economy chief, Cllr Stuart Parker (Con), suggested ‘our partnership working is enabling the council to deliver improvements on a greater scale than would be possible than by working on our own’.

He continued: “The public services hub proposed for Ellesmere Port is an exciting project that not only looks to bringing seven public sector partners together in one building but also proposes service integration and transformation to deliver improved outcomes for residents and cultural changes as well savings to the public purse.

“In addition a detailed town centre strategy has been prepared by the Ellesmere Port Development Board to inform future investment decisions around the hub Investment.”

He revealed more than £8m has already been brought in from the Government following a successful bid.

Cllr Parker added: “The proposed hub will create a wide range of direct and indirect benefits for the town.

“The creation of the new facility will include the delivery of public services, reducing the cost of delivering those services and releasing land for redevelopment.

“It will have a positive effect on wider investment in the central area of the town with the potential to create up to 2,000 new homes.

“This is a great opportunity for Ellesmere Port.”

Sutton ward councillor Nicole Meardon (Lab) said she ‘would welcome any investment in Ellesmere Port town’ and the development board and officers should be applauded for securing the funding.

But she added: “We must also make sure these benefits are tangible to residents and are not seen as public money being spent on buildings for public workers.”

It was essential that consultation with residents was ‘thorough and meaningful’.

Deputy Tory leader Cllr Eveleigh Moore-Dutton felt ‘this really is a good news story’ while Cllr Lynn Riley (Con) suggested the funding ‘is another key jigsaw piece in the wider ambition for the town’.

Leader Cllr Mike Jones said: “This is part of an overall plan as to how we regenerate Ellesmere Port.

“It is not just about buildings, it is about how we regenerate a pretty tired part of Ellesmere Port, how we can create opportunities for business and how we can create a better partnership across the public sector.”