THE UK’S largest consumer testing company is to expand its base in Ellesmere Port town centre.

Borough councillors have given permission for 4 Front Research, which already occupies 119 Station Road to extend into Nos 115-17.

And planners hailed the scheme as a way of improving the vitality of the run-down Westminster area.

Applicant Jon Holt says 4 Front want to convert Nos 115-17 into offices and extend its present clinical research business into there.

The application site is a vacant two-storey property and was last used in November 2006 as a pharmacy.

General manager Steve Thorn said: “We test healthcare products, toothpastes, shampoos, sun cream, etc.

“We run studies with volunteers trying the latest test products and providing feedback. All testing is on human volunteers and is not pharmaceutical.”

The company, which has seven research sites across the UK and others in France and India, has its headquarters on Capenhurst Technology Park.