General Motors is expected to announce that its Ellesmere Port factory will build the next generation Astra which will secure 2,100 jobs and the future of the site.

It had been rumored that Ellesmere Port was one of the GM plants marked for closure as the carmaker looks to cut costs.

Karl-Friedrich Stracke, head of GM Europe, stated that the Astra would be produced at two plants in the future instead of three. Business secretary Vince Cable is expected to make a visit to Ellesmere Port on Thursday to make the announcement.

Production is expected to start in 2015 on a three shift schedule per day.