A GRANT worth £3 million will re-energise a stalled housing development in Ellesmere Port.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been awarded the cash that it says will unlock 233 new houses in the town.

Some construction work at Ellesmere Port’s Rossfield Park site has already been completed but later phases were put on hold due in part to increased costs for a new bridge.

The additional cost for the bridge led to further redevelopment of key phases of the site becoming unviable.

Network Rail require a different design to be submitted to them to allow for upgrading the Hooton-Chester line and to reflect new design standards, at considerably more expense than was originally estimated when planning permission was obtained.

The grant will enable the construction of the footbridge over the railway line to improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity at Rossfield Park and surrounding areas in Ellesmere Port.

Now that funding is available for the enhanced bridge, 233 new homes can be built in the next five years.

The award from the Housing Infrastructure Fund is a government capital grant programme of up to £2.3 billion, which will help to deliver up to 100,000 new homes in England.

Local authorities were invited to bid for funding to provide new infrastructure that would enable new homes to be built in areas of greatest demand.

Cllr Angela Claydon

Cllr Angela Claydon, portfolio holder for housing at the council, said: “This is fantastic news. Securing this money will provide an improved, safe access across the railway which bisects Ellesmere Port and ensures a range of new housing can be provided in the town centre to meet residents’ needs.

“The development of this long term vacant brownfield site will also boost local businesses and increase confidence and pride in the port.”