HUNDREDS of new jobs are in prospect with the proposed development of an automotive supply park on the dockland site of the Mobil complex in Birkenhead.

The venture – designed to produce a vast number of car parts that are presently imported – has attracted the attention of major car manufacturers, including Jaguar, General Motors and Bentley.

Wirral Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said: "The involvement of a large scale supplier could create 400 to 500 jobs.

"It will bring back an awful lot of jobs to this country from places like China and Korea."

Discussions with car manufacturers are continuing and demolition work has begun on site; though no contracts have yet been signed.

The Mobil site lies within the Wirral Enterprise Zone and as such it could attract a significant amount of tax relief from the government.

Cllr Davies said: "One of the big selling points of the Mobil site is its proximity to the motorway network and its position in relation to the car plants at Ellesmere Port (General Motors) and Liverpool (Jaguar).

"Geographically it is very well placed; it has the easy access that major car companies require."

He added: "We are pretty confident it will go ahead."

The new park will be close to the proposed multi-million pound Wirral International Trade Centre – a project designed to open up opportunities for around 1,000 companies from China, India, South Korea and other emerging economies to exhibit, assemble and distribute their goods into the UK, Irish and European markets.

As lead partners with Wirral Council regeneration giants Peel Holdings have played a major role in the creation of the ITC.

The Peel group has formed a partnership with Chinese company Sam Wa International to deliver the complex.