Allocating the site to the Royal Flying Corps as a training aerodrome for pilots, the War Department built one single and three double aircraft hangars, which were completed in 1917.

The former RAF site was bought by General Motors-owned Vauxhall Motors, who developed their plant as a sub-assembly and engine production centre to supply their existing Dunstable and Luton factories.

The location was chosen in part to the then government policy of relocating industry to areas of higher unemployment, of which the Merseyside region was one, and this being a large, flat site within the vicinity suitable for a factory of significant size.

The first plant director, American Tom Williams, was already familiar with the site from his days as a World War II pilot in the US Air Force.

[1] However, the site was quickly developed as the small-car production centre, with the first Vauxhall Viva rolling off of the new assembly line in June 1964.

What became known locally as the North Road factory has been responsible since for building all of the successive models, including from 1975 all variants of the Vauxhall Chevette.

The awarding of the Astra project carried an obligation to improve operator performance (to the same level as Gliwice's 'ILO 100' workrate) which would close the overall productivity gap to Opel's Bochum plant.

This fact, along with GM Europe's desire to have a hedge for the Euro against the British pound, resulted in Ellesmere Port securing another five years for the future of the plant.

According to PSA, allocation of vehicle to Ellesmere Port would be contingent on the terms of the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU, and ensuring that it is a profitable investment.

The factory was retooled to produce the Vauxhall Combo-e, Citroën e-Berlingo, Peugeot e-Partner and FIAT E-Doblò electric vans in 2023.