A PRESTIGE car firm has been given the go-ahead to create a 48-space car park to serve new showrooms it is building near Bolton town centre.

Williams BMW has planning permission to move its Bradshawgate showroom and Manchester head office to the former greyhound track off Raikes Lane Bolton Council's planning committee has now approved plans by the firm to lay out parking spaces on wasteland off Croft Street.

The spaces will be accessed from within the complex and the application comes after the firm decided to reorganise spaces already approved on the main site.

Those changes, which are in a separate application yet to be approved, mean the number of spaces will be reduced from 228 to 219. Williams has assured the council that staff will not park in Croft Street.

Fifteen employees from the firm's Manchester head office, including bosses, accountants and secretaries will relocate to the new complex, in a move bosses blame on the congestion charge planned for central Manchester.

It will also house 115 employees from the Bradshawgate dealership, and up to 30 new jobs are expected to be created within two years.