Sex firm plan is agreed>/font>

Councillors granted the licence at a planning meeting last Wednesday, with a series of conditions attached for one year only, to set up the business in a unit in the Modern Moulds Business Centre, Commerce Way, in Lancing Business Park.

Applicant Tim Richardson, from Brighton, told the members of the commitee: "There will be no personal callers to the business. It's purely a mail order operation. We plan to sell lingerie, magazines, books, sex aids, videos, clothing and footwear."

Mr Richardson said that while the company, called AMS, would be advertising in papers such as the Sunday Sport and the News of the World and on the internet, the address would not be featured and the business telephone number would not have a

local prefix.

He added: "Nobody will know that we're there. No signs will be displayed. The address will not appear in any adverts whatsoever. We'll be on the first floor. You have to go through two locked doors to get to the unit, which will remain locked at all times."

Councillor Liza McKinney said she was concerned about the issue of child pornography and that the videos sent out by AMS should only feature adults.

Mrs McKinney said: "I want to be absolutely clear that you would know and vet your videos so that nothing would go out with videos of child pornography."

Mr Richardson replied: "I do vet everything we sell and I think it's my responsibility to do that."

Another concern raised by members was whether packages sent to and from the business would be indentifiable, and Mr Richardson said: "All the goods come in sealed boxes which are taped up; nothing is loose. Everything is delivered, normally by Parcel Force in a sealed box."

Environmental health officer Nigel Dawson said that the police had raised no objections to the licence, but added that three letters of objection had been sent from nearby businesses.