A TILE firm has been given the green light to open a store in Prestwich.

Topps Tiles, the country's biggest tile specialist, got permission at a town hall meeting on August 30 to open a branch in Bury New Road on land next to junction 17 of the M60.

The company sells bathroom, kitchen and floor tiles and provides a wide range of home styling advice to customers.

Topps Tiles will replace Pentagon Vauxhall Motor Garage, which is moving elsewhere in Greater Manchester.

The garage was known as Grimshaw's until November 2013 when managing director Alan Grimshaw retired.

It will be Topps Tiles' 348th branch nationwide and the 63rd in the North West.

The figures showed that £1 in every £3 spent on tiles in the UK goes to Topps Tiles.

There had been some concern about parking and access issues as the centre is close to a busy junction.

A resident of Willow Road said: "I am concerned that the centre will lead to an increase in traffic and will add to existing congestion and parking problems."

At the August 30 meeting, Sally Miles, of Dalton Warner Davies, which was the agent for Topps Tiles handling the planning application, said: "Topps are very keen to come to this area and to serve local traders and businesses and we think this site offers an ideal opportunity.

"Topps quite often trade with five-to-six parking spaces, but this site has a lot of hardstanding and so we are proposing a larger number of parking spots to ensure there is no overspill in the surrounding area.

"As far as access are concerned, Topps tends to get two-to-three people entering or exiting the site at any one time.

"This number will be tracked so we can ensure that vehicles can access the site safely."